Medical devices and related methods

• US 20080114331A1
• Filed: 11/14/2006
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Shippy, James Lee, Holman, Thomas J., Ali, Afsar
• Granted Patent: US 8,153,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/509
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/958 Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/16 Biologically active materials, e.g. therapeutic substances A61L29/048 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1004 Balloons with folds, e.g. folded or multifolded
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1031 Surface processing of balloon members, e.g. coating or deposition; Mounting additional parts onto the balloon member's surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1088 having special surface characteristics depending on material properties or added substances, e.g. for reducing friction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1038 Wrapping or folding devices for use with balloon catheters

Abstract

This disclosure relates to medical devices and related methods. In some embodiments, the methods include applying a material to the balloon and then removing the material from one or more regions of the balloon.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

applying a material to an at least partially inflated medical balloon;

folding the medical balloon; and

after folding the medical balloon, removing at least some of the material exposed about an outer surface of the folded medical balloon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, after removing the material, one or more inner fold regions of the balloon comprise the material thereon, and one or more outer fold regions of the balloon comprise substantially none of the material thereon.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, upon inflating the medical balloon, one or more regions of an outer surface of the inflated medical balloon comprise the material thereon and one or more regions of the outer surface of the inflated medical balloon comprise substantially none of the material thereon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the material has a coefficient of friction different than a coefficient of friction of the medical balloon.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the material comprises a lubricant.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the material comprises applying laser energy to the material.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising passing the laser energy through a masking device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the material is removed from substantially an entire exposed outer surface of the folded balloon.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising deflating the medical balloon after applying the material to the medical balloon.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising disposing an implantable medical endoprosthesis about the folded medical balloon.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the implantable medical endoprosthesis comprises a stent.

12. A method, comprising:

applying a material to a medical balloon, the material having a coefficient of friction different than a coefficient of friction of the medical balloon;

removing the material overlying one or more fold regions of the medical balloon.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising folding the medical balloon.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, after folding the medical balloon, one or more outer fold regions are exposed about an outer surface of the folded medical balloon and one or more inner fold regions are substantially unexposed about the outer surface of the folded medical balloon.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein, upon inflating the medical balloon, one or more regions of an outer surface of the inflated medical balloon comprise the material thereon and one or more regions of the outer surface of the inflated medical balloon comprise substantially none of the material thereon.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the medical balloon is at least partially inflated when the material is applied to the medical balloon.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the material is removed from substantially only the one or more fold regions of the medical balloon.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein removing the material comprises applying laser energy to the material.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising treating the medical balloon to form the one or more fold regions.

20. A balloon catheter, comprising a balloon folded about a catheter shaft, the folded balloon comprising outer fold regions that are substantially exposed about an outer surface of the folded balloon and inner fold regions that are substantially unexposed about the outer surface of the folded balloon, the inner fold regions being coated with a material and the outer fold regions being substantially free of the material.