The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 1996
Filed:
Jun. 03, 1994
Paul Walinsky, Wyndmoor, PA (US);
William H Meise, Penns Park, PA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A conventional balloon catheter is used in conjunction with an inflation control system which senses the heartbeat electrically or by way of arterial pressure, and which controls the balloon inflation condition in synchronism therewith, thereby deflating the balloon during periods, such as diastole (heart muscle relaxation), to allow blood to flow past the deflated balloon, and inflating the balloon during systolic (heart muscle contraction) periods, so that the plaque may be compressed, or the walls of the artery or other vas may be expanded by the inflated balloon. Since blood can pass the location of the balloon during each heartbeat, nutrient blood flow continues during the angioplasty procedure, so the procedure may be continued for a longer time than during conventional treatment. Since the blood flow is 'time-division multiplexed' using a conventional angioplasty catheter, the catheter may be smaller andor more flexible than a conventional perfusion catheter, allowing its use in smaller arteries, and at lower catheter cost. The heart sensor may include a plurality of electrodes such as are ordinarily used for electrocardiograms (EKGs) or an arterial pressure sensor, connected to a control circuit which responds to a distinctive portion of the electrical signal therefrom. In a particular embodiment of the invention, action potentials may be obtained from a location adjacent the balloon.