Balloon catheter

• US 20030125761A1
• Filed: 11/08/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blue Medical Devices B.V.
• Original Assignee: Blue Medical Devices B.V.
• Inventors: Meens, Hendrik Jozef Maria, Horvers, Ronald Adrianus Maria
• Application Number:
  US10/290,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20030125761A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/9583 Means for holding the stent on the balloon, e.g. using protrusions, adhesives or an outer sleeve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0063 having means, e.g. stylets, mandrils, rods or wires to reinforce or adjust temporarily the stiffness, column strength or pushability of catheters which are already inserted into the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1004 Balloons with folds, e.g. folded or multifolded
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1093 having particular tip characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/10 Balloon catheters A61M25/0125 takes precedence; embolectomy A61B17/22032; retractors A61B17/02; inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts A61F2/958 ; stomach balloons for treatment of obesity A61F5/0003; oesophagal tubes A61J15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1038 Wrapping or folding devices for use with balloon catheters

Abstract

A balloon (60) is attached to a catheter tube (62). A stiffening wire (64) extends from the catheter tube (62) to a tip (66). A lumen (70) is provided at the end of a flexible tube that at its opposite end is attached to the catheter tube (62). When the balloon (60) is deflated, the tube (72) is straight. When the balloon (60) is inflated, the tube (72) bends around the balloon (60).

Claims

1. A balloon catheter, comprising:

a catheter tube having a balloon end;

a tip spaced from the balloon end of the catheter tube;

a stiffening wire extending between and interconnecting the balloon end of the catheter tube and the tip;

an inflatable balloon positioned between the balloon end of the catheter tube and the tip, said balloon being connected to the balloon end of the catheter tube and to the tip; and

said catheter tube including a flexible tube having a first end connected to the catheter tube and a second end that includes a lumen,

wherein in use a guide wire extends through the catheter tube and the flexible tube and into and through the tip along side the balloon, and wherein the flexible tube bends around the balloon when it is inflated.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the tip also includes a flexible tube having one end connected to the tip and the opposite end including a lumen for receiving the guide wire.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon is inflated to move it from a deflated condition to an inflated condition, and the flexible tube is generally straight and is along side the balloon when the balloon is deflated and is curved and bends around the balloon when the balloon is inflated.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 2, wherein the balloon is inflated to move it from a deflated condition to an inflated condition, and the flexible tube is generally straight and is along side the balloon when the balloon is deflated and is curved and bends around the balloon when the balloon is inflated.

5. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon has an outside surface and at least one helically shaped groove formed in said surface for creating flexibility in a direction transverse to the balloon.

6. The balloon catheter of claim 2, wherein the balloon has an outside surface and at least one helically shaped groove formed in said surface for creating flexibility in a direction transverse to the balloon.

7. The balloon catheter of claim 3, wherein the balloon has an outside surface and at least one helically shaped groove formed in said surface for creating flexibility in a direction transverse to the balloon.

8. The balloon catheter of claim 4, wherein the balloon has an outside surface and at least one helically shaped groove formed in said surface for creating flexibility in a direction transverse to the balloon.

9. The balloon catheter of claim 1, wherein the balloon has a sidewall that includes a first helical groove extending around the balloon in a first direction and a second helical groove extending around the balloon in a second direction, so as to create flexibility in the balloon in a direction transverse to the balloon.

10. The balloon catheter of claim 2, wherein the balloon has a sidewall that includes a first helical groove extending around the balloon in a first direction and a second helical groove extending around the balloon in a second direction, so as to create flexibility in the balloon in a direction transverse to the balloon.

11. The balloon catheter of claim 3, wherein the balloon has a sidewall that includes a first helical groove extending around the balloon in a first direction and a second helical groove extending around the balloon in a second direction, so as to create flexibility in the balloon in a direction transverse to the balloon.

12. The balloon catheter of claim 4, wherein the balloon has a sidewall that includes a first helical groove extending around the balloon in a first direction and a second helical groove extending around the balloon in a second direction, so as to create flexibility in the balloon in a direction transverse to the balloon.