Catheter having optimized balloon taper angle

• US 6,251,094 B1
• Filed: 06/02/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Bleam, Jefferey
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/088,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01, 604/103, 604/101.01, 604/101.02, 604/101.03, 604/101.04, 604/101.05, 604/915, 604/916, 604/917, 604/918, 606/192, 606/194
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1027 Making of balloon catheters

Abstract

A dilation catheter and expandable balloon. The catheter includes a catheter tube, a proximal end, a distal end and an axis which extends between the proximal and distal ends. A balloon has two ends, at least one end mounts on the distal end of the catheter. The balloon inflates and deflates between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The balloon has a tapered portion and a working length. The tapered portion extends from the catheter tube at an angle α within the range of 7° to 20° and attaches the working length of the balloon to the catheter tube. Accordingly, the angle α between the tapered portion and the catheter tube is optimized to enable the balloon to slide when the balloon is in the collapsed configuration.

Claims

1. A balloon dilation catheter for use in a blood vessel having a lesion, comprising:

a catheter tube having an axis;

a balloon disposed about a portion of the catheter tube, the balloon having two ends and a working length therebetween, each end including a tapered portion, each tapered portion being attached to the catheter tube, the balloon being inflatable from a collapsed conformation, wherein the working length and at least a portion of each tapered portion are substantially flattened, to an inflated conformation;

a tapered portion of the balloon in the collapsed conformation defining an edge, the edge defining an acute angle relative to the axis of the catheter tube;

the same tapered portion of the balloon in the inflated conformation defining an acute angle relative to the axis of the catheter tube, the angle being of substantially the same measure as that defined by the edge when the balloon is in the collapsed conformation.

2. A balloon dilation catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein a portion of the working length and a portion of each taper of the balloon in the collapsed conformation are curled and the curled portions become uncurled when the balloon is in the inflated conformation,

whereby the taper angles are maintained at constant measure during inflation and deflation of the balloon.

3. A balloon dilation catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge defines an angle measuring between 7°

and 20°

relative to the axis of the catheter tube.

4. A balloon dilation catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge defines an angle measuring between 9°

and 12°

relative to the axis of the catheter tube.

5. A balloon dilation catheter as set forth in claim 1, wherein the edge defines an angle measuring between 10°

and 11°

relative to the axis of the catheter tube.