A catheter with proximal and distal ends having a spiral centering device
attached near the catheter distal end. The spiral centering device has at
least one spiral strut having a proximal end and a distal end. The spiral
centering device resiliently tends to center the distal end portion of
the catheter, steering the catheter away from the vessel wall during
insertion through the vasculature and toward the treatment site. The
spiral centering catheter may facilitate access to tortuous anatomy by
preventing the distal catheter tip from catching on irregularities in the
lumenal surface. If a stent is provided on the catheter, the spiral
centering catheter may also facilitate uniform stent expansion by
stabilizing the catheter during stent deployment.