Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Timoteo J Tomas

Jeong Soo Lee

Murthy V Simhambhatla

Stephen G Schaible

Venu Ghanta

Srinivasan Sridharan

An intraluminal catheter having at least a section of the catheter shaft being relatively transparent, and the method of manufacture thereof. In a presently preferred embodiment, the intraluminal catheter is a balloon catheter having a transparent shaft section formed of a polyetheretherketone polymeric material. The substantially transparent shaft section, of the catheter, is amorphous, and is substantially free of water marks and gels that would limit the transparency.

Catheter with a transparent shaft

A balloon catheter having a balloon formed at least in part of a blend of a first polymeric material having a first Shore durometer hardness, and at least a second polymeric material having a second Shore durometer hardness less than the Shore durometer hardness of the first polymeric material. The balloon of the invention has enhanced softness and flexibility due to the presence of the second polymeric material, and a lower than expected compliance. In a presently preferred embodiment, the balloon is formed of a blend of polymeric materials comprising polyether block amides.

Medical device balloon

A medical device or component thereof, and particularly intracorporeal devices for therapeutic or diagnostic uses, formed at least in part of a copolymer having a hard block and a polylactone soft block. In a presently preferred embodiment, the hard block of the copolymer is a polyester, and more specifically, the copolymer comprises a di-block copolymer of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polycaprolactone. The copolymer is suitable for forming a variety of medical devices or medical device components, and is preferably used to form a catheter balloon, such as a balloon for an angioplasty or stent delivery catheter. However, a variety of medical devices or medical device components can be formed of the copolymer, including stent covers, vascular grafts, and shaft components.

Medical device formed of polyester copolymer

A balloon formed of a single layer of polybutylene terephthalate and polytetramethylene ether glycol terephthalate copolymer in a substantially unblended form. The copolymer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 150,000 psi. The presently preferred copolymer is Hytrel&reg; 8238 by DuPont. The balloon of the invention would be substantially unblended, defined as greater than about 60% by weight to about 100% by weight of the copolymer. The balloon is formed in a series of molds. The balloon of the invention exhibits high rupture pressure and low compliance coupled with good lesion cross and recross ability.

High pressure catheter balloon

A balloon formed of a single layer of polybutylene terephthalate and polytetramethylene ether glycol terephthalate copolymer in a substantially unblended form. The copolymer has a flexural modulus of greater than about 150,000 psi. The presently preferred copolymer is Hytrel&reg; 8238 by DuPont. The balloon would be substantially unblended, defined as greater than about 60% by weight to about 100% by weight of the copolymer. The balloon is formed in a series of molds. The balloon exhibits high rupture pressure and low compliance coupled with good lesion cross and recross ability.

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Union City, CA, United States of America

Timoteo J Tomas