Stent installation method using balloon catheter having stepped compliance curve
First Claim
1. A balloon for a dilation procedure, the balloon having first and second adjacent body longitudinal portions the first body portion having a generally linear compliance curve to burst pressure and the second body portion having a stepped compliance curve characterized by a low pressure segment defined by a low inflation pressure range, said low pressure segment being generally collinear with a corresponding segment of the compliance curve of the first body portion which is defined by said low inflation pressure range, a transition segment during which the balloon expands rapidly relative to the first body portion and a high pressure segment during which the compliance curve of the second portion expands slowly relative to the transition region.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for installing a stent in a vessel utilizes a single balloon catheter for both low pressure predilation at a relatively small diameter to open the lesion sufficiently to allow insertion and deployment of the stent across the lesion and for subsequent high pressure embedding of the stent in the vessel wall. The same balloon catheter may also be employed to insert and deploy the stent. The balloons utilized in the method have a stepped compliance curve which allows for predilation at a low pressure and predetermined diameter and for high pressure embedding at a substantially larger diameter. The balloons may be provided with a configuration in which only a portion of the balloon has a stepped compliance curve while a further portion has a generally linear compliance profile. With such balloons high pressure treatment of the vessel wall areas not reinforced by the stent can be avoided despite the occurence of longitudinal shrinkage of the stent during expansion thereof.
174 Citations
16 Claims
- 1. A balloon for a dilation procedure, the balloon having first and second adjacent body longitudinal portions the first body portion having a generally linear compliance curve to burst pressure and the second body portion having a stepped compliance curve characterized by a low pressure segment defined by a low inflation pressure range, said low pressure segment being generally collinear with a corresponding segment of the compliance curve of the first body portion which is defined by said low inflation pressure range, a transition segment during which the balloon expands rapidly relative to the first body portion and a high pressure segment during which the compliance curve of the second portion expands slowly relative to the transition region.
Specification