Surgical balloon having varying wall thickness

Abstract

A surgical balloon is provided for insertion into a uterus that includes a substantially continuous outer wall defining an exterior surface of the balloon on a first side and an interior hollow of the balloon on a second side, with the outer wall being formed from a stretchable elastic material and being stretchable by pressure within the inner hollow between a collapsed state and an expanded state. The substantially continuous outer wall has a base portion for coupling with shaft, an intermediate portion adjacent the base portion and an end portion at a distal end of the balloon and adjacent the intermediate portion. The base portion has a first primary wall thickness, the intermediate portion has a second primary wall thickness, and the end portion has a third primary wall thickness.

1 - 10 . (canceled)  
   
   
       11 . A surgical balloon for insertion into a uterus, comprising: 
 a substantially continuous outer wall defining an exterior surface of the balloon on a first side and an interior hollow of the balloon on a second side, the outer wall being formed from a stretchable elastic material and being stretchable by pressure within the inner hollow between a collapsed state and an expanded state;    the substantially continuous outer wall having a base portion for coupling with shaft, an intermediate portion adjacent the base portion and an end portion at a distal end of the balloon and adjacent the intermediate portion,    wherein, when the balloon is in the collapsed state, the base portion has a first primary wall thickness, the intermediate portion has a second primary wall thickness, and the end portion has a third primary wall thickness.    
   
   
       12 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 11 , wherein the wall thickness of the end portion is about 3 to 5 mil.  
   
   
       13 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 12 , wherein the wall thickness of the intermediate portion is about 4-6 mil.  
   
   
       14 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 13 , wherein the wall thickness of the base portion is about 5-10 mil.  
   
   
       15 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 11 , wherein the second primary wall thickness is less than the first primary wall thickness, and the third primary wall thickness is less than the first and second primary wall thicknesses.  
   
   
       16 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 11 , wherein the end portion is substantially hemispherical in shape.  
   
   
       17 . A surgical balloon for insertion into a uterus, comprising: 
 a substantially continuous outer wall defining an exterior surface of the balloon on a first side and an interior hollow of the balloon on a second side, the outer wall being formed from a stretchable elastic material and being stretchable by pressure within the inner hollow between a collapsed state and an expanded state;    the substantially continuous outer wall having a base portion for coupling with a catheter, and a substantially hemispherical shaped end portion positioned at a distal end of the balloon and adjacent the first portion,    wherein, when the balloon is in the collapsed state, the end portion has a primary wall thickness less than a primary wall thickness of the base portion.    
   
   
       18 . A surgical balloon for insertion into a uterus, comprising: 
 a substantially continuous outer wall defining an exterior surface of the balloon on a first side and an interior hollow of the balloon on a second side, the outer wall being formed from a stretchable elastic material and being stretchable by pressure within the inner hollow between a collapsed state and an expanded state;    the substantially continuous outer wall having a base portion for coupling with a catheter, and an end portion at a distal end of the balloon,    wherein, when the balloon is in the collapsed state, the end portion has a primary wall thickness less than a primary wall thickness of the base portion.    
   
   
       19 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 18 , wherein the end portion is at least substantially hemispherical in shape.  
   
   
       20 . The surgical balloon according to  claim 19 , wherein the end portion is substantially symmetrical about a distal point of the balloon.