Catheter with balloon folding into predetermined configurations and method of manufacture

• US 5,458,572 A
• Filed: 07/01/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Ferrera, David A., Michaels, George, Campbell, Andrew J., Kalashian, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US08/270,144
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96, 604/97, 604/100, 604/101, 604/280, 604/282, 606/191-194
• US Class Current: 604/103.08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1004 Balloons with folds, e.g. folded or multifolded
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1084 having features for increasing the shape stability, the reproducibility or for limiting expansion, e.g. containments, wrapped around fibres, yarns or strands
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A medical catheter (10) having a balloon (3) adapted to be folded into a predetermined configuration. The catheter comprises a flexible inflation member (2) with a balloon (3) disposed on the inflation member (2). The balloon has a flexible wall defining an inflation chamber and the inflation chamber is in fluid flow relation with an inflation lumen in the inflation member. The balloon (3) is adapted for inflation from a folded configuration to an inflated, expanded configuration and back to the folded configuration. An array of longitudinally and circumferentially arranged ribs (6) is disposed in said wall (3a). The ribs (6) are either more stiff or less stiff than the wall (3a) whereby upon evacuation of inflation fluid from the balloon (3) either portions of the wall between the ribs will collapse between the ribs or the ribs will collapse within the wall.

Claims

1. A medical catheter having a balloon adapted to be folded into a predetermined configuration, said catheter comprising:

a flexible inflation member;

a balloon disposed on said inflation member, said balloon having a flexible wall defining an inflation chamber, said inflation chamber being in fluid flow relation with an inflation lumen in said inflation member, said balloon being adapted for inflation from a folded configuration to an inflated, expanded configuration and back to said folded configuration;

an array of longitudinally and circumferentially arranged ribs disposed in said wall, said ribs being either more stiff or less stiff than said wall whereby upon evacuation of inflation fluid from said balloon either portions of said wall between said ribs will collapse between said ribs or the ribs will collapse within said wall.

2. The medical catheter according to claim 1 wherein said ribs are 15% stiffer than said web or vice versa.

3. The medical catheter according to claim 1 wherein said rib or said web is formed of polyethylene terephthalate.

4. The medical catheter according to claim 1 wherein there are at least three ribs disposed in said balloon.

5. The medical catheter according to claim 4 wherein there are less than seven ribs in said balloon.

6. The medical catheter according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the web is between about 0.0004 and 0.005".

7. The medical catheter according to claim 1 wherein the lumens are between about 2 and 50% of the wall thickness.

8. A medical catheter having a balloon adapted to be folded into a predetermined configuration, said catheter comprising:

a flexible inflation member;

a balloon disposed on said inflation member, said balloon having a flexible wall defining an inflation chamber and having a proximal and a distal end, said inflation chamber being in fluid flow relation with an inflation lumen in said inflation member, said balloon being adapted for inflation from a folded configuration to an inflated, expanded configuration and back to said folded configuration;

an array of longitudinally extending lumens disposed in said wall, said lumens being in predetermined locations relative to each other and extending between said distal and proximal end;

a rib of plastic material disposed in each of said lumens, said ribs being either more stiff or less stiff than said wall whereby upon evacuation of said inflation chamber either said wall will collapse about said ribs or said ribs will collapse between said wall.

9. The medical catheter according to claim 8 wherein said ribs are 15% stiffer than said web or vice versa.

10. The medical catheter according to claim 8 wherein said rib or said web is formed of polyethylene terephthalate.

11. The medical catheter according to claim 8 wherein there are at least three ribs disposed in said balloon.

12. The medical catheter according to claim 11 wherein there are less than seven ribs in said balloon.

13. The medical catheter according to claim 8 wherein the thickness of the web is between about 0.0004 and 0.005".

14. The medical catheter according to claim 8 wherein the lumens are between about 2 and 50% of the wall thickness.

15. A method of constructing a medical balloon wherein the balloon preferably fails with a tear substantially parallel to the axis of the balloon rather than normal to the axis, said method comprising:

disposing a balloon on an inflation member, said balloon having a flexible wall defining an inflation chamber, said inflation chamber being in fluid flow relation with an inflation lumen in said inflation member, said balloon being adapted for inflation from a folded configuration to an inflated, expanded configuration and back to said folded configuration said balloon further having an array of longitudinally and circumferentially arranged ribs disposed in said wall, said ribs being either more stiff or less stiff than said wall whereby upon evacuation of inflation fluid from said balloon either portions of said wall between said ribs will collapse between said ribs or the ribs will collapse within said wall.