Balloon catheter

• US 20050267508A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ashi Intecc Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Asahi Intecc Company Limited
• Inventors: Yoshimachi, Fuminobu, Kato, Tomihisa
• Application Number:
  US11/137,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20050267508A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1079 having radio-opaque markers in the region of the balloon
• 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

Abstract

In a balloon catheter 1 in which a dilatable balloon portion 3 is secured to a distal end of a flexible and elongated shaft portion 2, at least two radiopaque ribbon markers M1, M2 are mutually spaced and provided on an outer surface of the elongated shaft portion 2 within the balloon portion 3. An inner interval L1 and an outer interval L2 between the ribbon markers M1, M2 are measurement rules determined by two different length units. The balloon catheter 1 contributes to treating a strictured area of the cardiovascular system with the use of the ribbon markers M1, M2, thus enabling manufacturers to put a drug-eluting stent into practical use which would be supposed to prevail widely in the medical field.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter in which a distal end portion of a flexible and elongated shaft portion has a dilatable balloon portion,

said balloon catheter comprising:

at least two radiopaque ribbon markers mutually spaced and provided on an outer surface of said elongated shaft portion within said balloon portion;

an inner interval being between an inner edge side of one ribbon marker and an inner edge side of other ribbon marker;

an outer interval being between an outer edge side of one ribbon marker and an outer edge side of other ribbon marker; and

said inner interval and said outer interval being measurement rules determined by two different length units.

2. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein one of said inner interval and said outer interval of said elongated shaft portion are measured by millimeter, and other marker measured by inch.

3. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one of said ribbon markers is provided on said elongated shaft portion outside said balloon portion, or provided on an outer shaft portion extending from said balloon portion rearwardly along said elongated shaft portion;

and

said inner interval and said outer interval between said ribbon marker and other ribbon marker inside said balloon portion are measurement rules determined by said two different length units.

4. The balloon catheter according to claim 3, wherein said ribbon marker provided outside said balloon portion is formed by a helical coil spring.

5. The balloon catheter according to claim 3, wherein an effective length of said balloon portion is less than 20 mm, and said inner interval or said outer interval between said ribbon marker inside said balloon portion and other ribbon marker outside said balloon portion is more than 25 mm.

6. The balloon catheter according to claim 4, wherein an effective length of said balloon portion is less than 20 mm, and said inner interval or said outer interval between said ribbon marker inside said balloon portion and other ribbon marker outside said balloon portion is more than 25 mm.