Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Abbott Laboratories Vascular Enterprises Limited

Silke Pschibl

Judith Hartwig

Randolf Von Oepen

Travis Richard Yribarren

Lorcan James Coffey

Thomas Rieth

Arik Zucker

Boris Warnack

Günter Lorenz

Tanja Dlugos

Markus Abendschein

Anneliese Weidner

A dilatation balloon is fabricated according to a process that forms cavities and indentations in the balloon and/or catheter sections. A length of tubing is axially elongated and radially expanded in a form to provide the requisite biaxial orientation and strength. Then, an excimer laser or another type of laser or mechanical material removal tool is used to remove the polymeric material, virtually without thermal effects. Cavities in the sleeve sections of the balloon are defined and if desired, indentations in the cone sections are defined. Material removal, particularly near the balloon sleeves enables a thinner, more flexible bonding area between the catheter shaft and the balloon. Further, the indentations along the cone sections enables tighter wrapping of the balloon for a reduced delivery profile. Rigidity near the sleeves is reduced for better maneuverability of the catheter in tortuous passageways.

Method of reducing rigidity of angioplasty balloon sections

A method of producing a balloon of a balloon catheter includes the following method steps: providing a balloon body coupled to a proximal sleeve and a distal sleeve by transitional sections extending between the balloon body and the sleeves; creating folds in at least the distal sleeve; and stabilizing at least a distal section of the folds of the distal sleeve.

Method of producing a balloon of a balloon catheter

Dilatation balloon having reduced rigidity

Growing community of inventors

Rangendingen, Germany

Silke Pschibl