Detachable balloon catheter apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A detachable balloon catheter apparatus comprising:
- an introducer catheter, said introducer catheter having an attachment means at the trailing end thereof for connection to a source of pressurized fluid;
an inflatable balloon positioned at the leading end of said introducer catheter, said balloon having an opening in fluid communication with the leading end of said catheter; and
valve means for automatically plugging the opening of said balloon after it is inflated by said pressurized fluid, said valve means comprising an elongated stem that is attached to the interior surface of said balloon.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A detachable balloon catheter apparatus and method. The apparatus includes an introducer catheter which is attached at its trailing end to a source of pressurized fluid. The leading end of the catheter is attached to an inflatable balloon which may be inflated as the pressurized fluid is injected through the introducer catheter. A valve mechanism is positioned inside the assembled introducer catheter and balloon and the leading end of the valve mechanism is bonded to the interior of the balloon. As the balloon is inflated by the pressurized fluid, a forwardly directed lateral force is exerted on the valve mechanism so that it is pulled forward into fluid-tight engagement with the valve seat placed at the opening of the balloon. Once the valve mechanism is pulled into fluid-tight engagement so as to close off the opening of the balloon, further injection of the pressurized fluid serves to detach the inflated balloon from the introducer catheter.
-
Citations
22 Claims
-
1. A detachable balloon catheter apparatus comprising:
-
an introducer catheter, said introducer catheter having an attachment means at the trailing end thereof for connection to a source of pressurized fluid; an inflatable balloon positioned at the leading end of said introducer catheter, said balloon having an opening in fluid communication with the leading end of said catheter; and valve means for automatically plugging the opening of said balloon after it is inflated by said pressurized fluid, said valve means comprising an elongated stem that is attached to the interior surface of said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A detachable balloon catheter apparatus comprising:
-
a hollow, single lumen introducer catheter having a fitting at the trailing end thereof for connection to a source of pressurized fluid; an inflatable balloon positioned at the leading end of said introducer catheter, said balloon having an opening that is in fluid communication with the lumen of said introducer catheter; and valve means for automatically plugging the opening of said balloon after the balloon is inflated to a predetermined amount by said pressurized fluid, said valve means having one end thereof attached to the distal end of said balloon. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A detachable balloon catheter apparatus comprising:
-
a hollow, single lumen introducer catheter having a fitting at the trailing end thereof for connection to a source of pressurized fluid; an inflatable balloon positioned at the leading end of said introducer catheter, said balloon having an opening that is in fluid communication with the lumen of said introducer catheter; valve seat means comprising an elongated elastomeric member having a leading end that extends into the interior of said balloon and having a trailing end that protrudes out of the opening to said balloon and is stretched to frictionally fit over the leading end of said introducer catheter; valve means for automatically engaging said valve seat means in fluid-tight engagement after said balloon is inflated by said pressurized fluid, said valve means comprising an elongated stem that telescopically extends through the leading end of said valve seat means and that is bonded to the distal end of said balloon, said stem having at the trailing end thereof an enlarged head portion adapted to engage said valve seat means in a fluid-tight seal, said enlarged head portion of said stem being initially positioned inside the leading end of said introducer catheter; fluid communication means for permitting said pressurized fluid to flow around said enlarged head portion of said valve means; and a collar member which fits over the leading end of said valve seat means and which prevents said inflatable balloon from being bonded to said collar member.
-
-
21. In the use of a detachable balloon catheter assembly comprising a single lumen introducer catheter with a fitting at the trailing end thereof for connection to a source of pressurized fluid, an inflatable balloon positioned at the leading end of said introducer catheter, and a valve means positioned at the opening of said balloon, said valve means having one end thereof attached to the interior surface of said balloon, a method of inflating and detaching said balloon from said introducer catheter after it is inflated, the method comprising the steps of:
-
injecting said pressurized fluid into said balloon so as to inflate the balloon; automatically plugging the opening to said balloon with said valve means when said balloon is inflated to a predetermined amount; and thereafter detaching said inflated balloon after it is plugged by said valve means by continued injection of said pressurized fluid. - View Dependent Claims (22)
-
Specification