Cutting balloon catheter having flexible atherotomes

• US 20060106413A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bence, Steven W., Asconeguy, Alexander J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,038,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/192
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320725 with radially expandable cutting or abrading elements A61B17/32075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320733 with a flexible cutting or scraping element, e.g. with a whip-like distal filament member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A cutting balloon catheter and method of making and using the same. The cutting balloon catheter may include a catheter shaft having a balloon coupled thereto. One or more cutting members or blades may be coupled to the balloon. The cutting members may configured to be more flexible.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

an elongate shaft having a distal end region;

a balloon coupled to the distal end region;

one or more cutting members coupled to the balloon, the cutting members including a cutting surface and a base; and

wherein the cutting surface includes a slot.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the slot is defined by an inward deflection in the cutting surface.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein a pair of cutting members are coupled to the balloon and disposed in tandem.

4. The medical device of claim 3, wherein the slot is defined by a space between the pair of cutting members disposed in tandem.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the cutting surface includes a second slot.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cutting members includes a plurality of notches along the base.

7. The medical device of claim 1, further comprising a flexible base member disposed adjacent the base of the cutting members.

8. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the catheter shaft;

one or more flexible joining members coupled to the balloon; and

one or more cutting members coupled to the joining members.

9. The cutting balloon of claim 8, wherein the joining members include a polymeric material.

10. The cutting balloon of claim 8, wherein the cutting members include a cutting surface and a base, and wherein a slot is formed in the cutting surface.

11. The cutting balloon of claim 10, wherein the cutting members include a second slot formed in the cutting surface.

12. The cutting balloon of claim 10, wherein at least one of the cutting members includes a plurality of tabs defined along the base.

13. The cutting balloon of claim 8, wherein a pair of cutting members are coupled to a single joining member and disposed in tandem.

14. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the shaft;

one or more atherotomes coupled to the balloon; and

means for increasing the flexibility of the atherotomes.

15. The cutting balloon catheter of claim 14, wherein means for increasing the flexibility of the atherotomes includes a flexible joining member disposed between the atherotomes and the balloon.

16. The cutting balloon catheter of claim 14, wherein the atherotomes include a cutting surface, and wherein means for increasing the flexibility of the atherotomes includes one or more slots formed in the cutting surface.

17. A method of using a cutting balloon catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing a cutting balloon catheter, the cutting balloon catheter including an elongate catheter shaft, a balloon coupled to shaft, one or more flexible cutting members coupled to the balloon, the cutting members including a slot formed in a cutting surface thereof;

advancing the cutting balloon catheter through a blood vessel to a position adjacent an area of interest;

inflating the balloon, whereby the balloon and the cutting members engage the area of interest;

deflating the balloon; and

withdrawing the cutting balloon catheter from the blood vessel.

18. A method for manufacturing a cutting balloon catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing an atherotome, the atherotome having a cutting surface;

forming one or more slots in the cutting surface; and

coupling the atherotome to a balloon, the balloon being coupled to a catheter shaft.

19. A method for manufacturing a cutting balloon catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing an atherotome, the atherotome having a cutting surface;

providing a joining member; and

disposing the joining member between the atherotome and the balloon, the balloon being coupled to a catheter shaft.

20. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the catheter shaft;

one or more flexible joining members coupled to the balloon; and

one or more pairs of cutting members coupled to the joining members.

21. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the catheter shaft;

one or more pairs of cutting members coupled to the balloon; and

wherein the cutting members include one or more slots formed in a cutting surface thereof.