Balloon catheterization

• US 6,517,514 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Campbell, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thanh; LoAn H.
• Application Number:
  US09/607,402
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96.01,97.01-97.02,99.6,103.1,103.14,106-107,915,916,921,103.03 606/192-196
• 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

Abstract

A medical balloon is collapsed to a small profile during deflation by preventing tension in the catheter or balloon which might otherwise direct the balloon into a larger diameter collapsed profile, making it difficult to remove the catheter from the body. Tension may be avoided by arranging at least one end of the balloon to slide with respect to the catheter body. The invention is particularly applicable to a relatively stiff, inelastic balloon that is preformed into a geometric cross-sectional shape with corners, such as a square balloon, for encouraging a particular collapsed configuration, e.g., three or more folded lobes.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter, comprising:

a. a longitudinally extending catheter body comprising a flexible sheath and a core wire therein said sheath having a distal end portion;

b. an inflatable balloon having proximal and distal end portions, said proximal end portion being attached to the distal end portion of said sheath;

c. said core wire being affixed to the distal end of said sheath and including a spanning portion extending beyond said distal end and through said balloon, said spanning portion having an end region; and

d. a tip member internally attached to the distal end portion of said balloon which telescopes over the end region of said spanning portion upon inflation and deflation of said balloon.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein said tip member is prevented from telescoping beyond said end region.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 2 wherein said tip member is prevented from telescoping beyond said end region by at least one wire member which is slack when said balloon is retracted.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 1 wherein said inflatable balloon is preconditioned to form at least three lobes.

5. A method of dilating a body lumen comprising:

a. delivering a balloon catheter into the body lumen, said catheter comprising;

i. a longitudinally extending flexible sheath having a distal end portion and a core wire therein, said core wire being affixed to the distal end portion of said sheath and including a spanning portion extending beyond said distal end and through said balloon, said spanning portion including an end region, and a tip member telescoping with respect to said spanning portion; and

ii. an inflatable balloon having a proximal end portion attached to the distal portion of said sheath and a distal end portion attached to said tip member; and

b. inflating and deflating said balloon which causes said tip member to telescope over the end regions of said spanning portion.

6. The method of claim 5 further including:

preventing said tip member from telescoping beyond said end region.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said tip member is prevented from telescoping beyond said end region by at least one wire member which is slack when said balloon is retracted.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said at least three lobes are constructed as to minimize a cross-sectional area of said inflatable balloon when said flexible catheter body is in an extended condition.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said inflatable balloon is preconditioned to form at least three lobes.