Balloon catheter

• US 6,723,070 B1
• Filed: 05/28/1999
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kk Vayu
• Original Assignee: K. K. Vayu
• Inventors: Arai, Takashi, Tsutsui, Nobumasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIHIR B
• Application Number:
  US09/322,950
• Time in Patent Office: 1,789 Days
• Field of Search: 604/174, 604/178, 604/264, 604/96, 604/96.01, 604/93.01, 604/180, 604/280, 604/282, 604/103.12, 604/164.12, 606/194, 606/108, 606/192, 606/198
• 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 balloon catheter is provided with a core insertable from a connector into an inside of a shaft. When an operation for insertion/retraction of the core is carried out by pinching an operating part, the core slides along the shaft and the depth of the core in the shaft is thereby adjusted. When the core is inserted deeper in the shaft, the region of the shaft with a high rigidity increases with the core out to the shaft'"'"'s distal end. On the other hand, when the core is retracted to the fore side, the rigidity of the shaft at its distal end side becomes lower and the flexibility of the balloon catheter becomes higher.

Claims

1. A balloon catheter comprising

a thin and flexible shaft having a fluid supply and removal path extending from a proximal end of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft;

and

a balloon secured to the distal end of the shaft, the balloon being inflated when a fluid is supplied to an inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path, and the balloon being contracted when the fluid is removed from inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path;

wherein a rigidity control core, more rigid than the shaft, is provided so that the rigidity control core is inserted from the proximal end of the shaft to a position adjacent the balloon and the rigidity control core is slidable substantially along an entire length of the shaft to select a rigidity of the shaft in a region of the rigidity control core, and a tip end of the rigidity control core is prevented from protruding out from the shaft.

2. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein the balloon catheter has a structure in which the rigidity control core or a part secured to the rigidity core can be secured to the shaft or to a part secured to the shaft.

3. The balloon catheter according to claim 1, wherein the rigidity control core is inserted into and directly communicates with the fluid supply and removal path of the balloon catheter.

4. The balloon catheter according to claim 2, wherein the rigidity control core is inserted into and directly communicates with the fluid supply and removal path of the balloon catheter.

5. A balloon catheter comprising:

a thin and flexible shaft having a fluid supply and removal path extending from a proximal end of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft; and

a balloon secured to the distal end of the shaft, the balloon being inflated when a fluid is supplied to an inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path, and the balloon being contracted when the fluid is removed from inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path;

wherein a rigidity control core, more rigid than the shaft, is provided so that the rigidity control core is inserted from the proximal end of the shaft to a position adjacent the balloon and the rigidity control core is slidable along the shaft to select a rigidity of the shaft in a region of the rigidity control core, and a tip end of the rigidity control core is prevented from protruding out from the shaft;

a first passage and a second passage are formed in the proximal end of the shaft and both the first and second passages communicate with the fluid supply and removal path, a connector interconnects a fluid supply source with the first passage for supplying fluid from the fluid supply source to the fluid supply and removal path and the second passage connects the fluid supply and removal path with a core-inserting port into which the rigidity control core is insertable, and a closing part is provided for closing and sealing the second passage and preventing the fluid from flowing out through the second passage.

6. A balloon catheter comprising:

a thin and flexible shaft having a fluid supply and removal path extending from a proximal end of the shaft to a distal end of the shaft; and

a balloon secured to the distal end of the shaft, the balloon being inflated when a fluid is supplied to an inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path, and the balloon being contracted when the fluid is removed from inside of the balloon, via the fluid supply and removal path;

wherein a rigidity control core, more rigid than the shaft, is provided so that the rigidity control core is inserted from the proximal end of the shaft to a position adjacent the balloon and the rigidity control core is slidable along the shaft to select a rigidity of the shaft in a region of the rigidity control core, and a tip end of the rigidity control core is prevented from protruding out from the shaft;

a first passage and a second passage are formed in the proximal end of the shaft and both the first and second passages communicate with the fluid supply and removal path, a connector interconnects a fluid supply, source with the first passage for supplying fluid from the fluid supply source to the fluid supply and removal path and the second passage connects the fluid supply and removal path with a core-inserting port into which the rigidity control core is insertable, and a closing part is provided for closing and sealing the second passage and preventing the fluid from flowing out through the second passage; and

the closing part closes the second passage by abutting and sealing against an outer periphery of the rigidity control core when the rigidity core is inserted into the second passage.