Method of manufacturing a balloon member for a balloon catheter
First Claim
1. A method of manufacturing a balloon member for a balloon catheter, which method comprises:
- a) forming a generally tubular member having first and second terminal portions and having a wall of substantially uniform thickness and formed from a flexible substantially fluid impervious material having reinforcing fibres provided integrally with the impervious material which fibres define a maximum radial expansion of the balloon member, the tubular member having an external diameter which corresponds substantially to that desired for the balloon member in the maximum radial expansion state;
b) stretching the tubular member axially until an inner diameter of the tubular member is reduced to or proximate to an external diameter of a catheter tube upon which it is desired to mount the balloon member;
c) setting at least one of the terminal portions of the stretched tubular member in the reduced inner diameter produced by the axial stretching step; and
d) relieving axial stretching, produced by the axial stretching step, of the tubular member to allow a portion of the tubular member intermediate the terminal portions to expand radially to provide a wider diameter intermediate portion in the balloon member.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a balloon portion for a balloon catheter for radially expanding a vessel in the body of a mammal, which catheter comprises a tube portion with a passage therethrough and a hollow expandable balloon portion defined by a fluid impervious wall and secured to the tube portion, which balloon portion can be inflated and deflated by means of a fluid passed through the passage, such that:
a. the wall of the balloon portion is formed from a flexible substantially fluid impervious material having re-inforcing fibers formed integrally with the wall material; and
b. the balloon portion is preformed to the desired radial diameter at its inflated state having smaller diameter end portions and a wider diameter portion intermediate the said ends and has a substantially uniform wall thickness.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a balloon member for a balloon catheter, which method comprises:
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a) forming a generally tubular member having first and second terminal portions and having a wall of substantially uniform thickness and formed from a flexible substantially fluid impervious material having reinforcing fibres provided integrally with the impervious material which fibres define a maximum radial expansion of the balloon member, the tubular member having an external diameter which corresponds substantially to that desired for the balloon member in the maximum radial expansion state; b) stretching the tubular member axially until an inner diameter of the tubular member is reduced to or proximate to an external diameter of a catheter tube upon which it is desired to mount the balloon member; c) setting at least one of the terminal portions of the stretched tubular member in the reduced inner diameter produced by the axial stretching step; and d) relieving axial stretching, produced by the axial stretching step, of the tubular member to allow a portion of the tubular member intermediate the terminal portions to expand radially to provide a wider diameter intermediate portion in the balloon member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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Specification