Scimed Life Systems, Inc.

Jeffrey J Peters

Christopher R Larson

Michelle M Arney

Brooke Qin Ren

A medical system is disclosed which includes an over-the-wire type balloon catheter and a guide wire wherein the catheter includes a polymer outer tube, and an inner tube having a metallic proximal portion and a polymer distal portion. An inflatable balloon is connected to the distal ends of the inner tube and the outer tube. The guide wire may be removed from and inserted into the guide wire lumen at either end of the catheter. The catheter may further include a transition member traversing the junction between the proximal and distal portions of the inner tube. The transition member may be in the form of a wire, a coil or a tube, and may be made of cold drawn stainless steel or a superelastic alloy. The metallic proximal portion of the inner tube may have a wall thickness greater than or equal to 0.0020 inches and an outside diameter less than or equal to 0.0255 inches. The catheter may also include a radiopaque marker band swaged onto the inner tube. A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter is also disclosed which includes the steps of: (1) placing a support member inside a tubular member; (2) sliding a balloon over the tubular member such that the bonding region on the tubular member is aligned with a bonding region on the balloon; (3) placing a heat shrinkable tube over the balloon aligned with the bonding regions; (4) exposing the heat shrinkable tube and the bonding regions to heat (e.g. infrared) such that the heat shrinkable tube exerts a compressive force onto the balloon, the bonding regions flow, the balloon bonding region is radially compressed onto the tubular member bonding region, and the bonding regions form a tip which is tapered in a distal direction. A heat shield may be used to expose only the bonding regions and the heat shrinkable tube. An adhesive (e.g. urethane) or a tie polymer may be applied to either of the bonding regions.

Balloon dilation catheter with improved pushability, trackability and

An improved stent apparatus for intraluminal use in the body of an animal. The apparatus is of resilient material disposed in a tubular configuration about a central axis, which carries ratchet apparatus in the form of catch and latch apparatus having a selectively removable latch. The stent is expanded through the use of an angioplasty balloon to any selected one of a plurality of dilated positions. As the stent expands, the catches come into contact with the latch to prevent retraction of the stent apparatus. The latch communicates with a point external to the lumen, and is selectively removable from contact with the catches to enable the stent apparatus to return to its original diameter.

Selectively expandable, retractable and removable stent

An innerless dilatation balloon catheter uses a balloon 22 which is longitudinally compliant so that it elongates as it is inflated. The catheter 10 includes a valve 30 which is responsive to elongation of the balloon 2 for effectively blocking fluid flow through a lumen extension 24, 26 through which the guide wire 12 passes. The valve 30 allows the guide wire 12 to move freely when the balloon 22 is deflated.

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Golden Valley, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey J Peters