Balloon Catheter

Abstract

A balloon catheter comprises a shaft including a tubular having a relatively rigid proximal shaft section and a distal shaft section, each section connected to one another through a flexible transition member, and an inflatable balloon extending at a distal portion of the distal shaft section. The proximal and distal shaft sections define an inflation lumen extending therein which is in fluid communication with an interior of the balloon to allow inflation pressure to the balloon. The distal shaft further comprises a guide wire lumen to receive a guide wire. The guide wire lumen has a guide wire inlet, located between the end portion of the proximal shaft section and the balloon, and a guide wire outlet, located distally to the balloon and leading to an exterior of the catheter. The balloon catheter can be used for coronary angioplasty.

1 . A balloon catheter comprising a shaft including a mainly tubular relatively rigid proximal shaft section and a distal shaft section, more flexible than the proximal shaft section, attached to a distal end portion of the proximal shaft section, and an inflatable balloon extending at a distal portion of the distal shaft section, the proximal and distal shaft section defining an inflation lumen extending therein which is in fluid communication with an interior of the balloon to allow inflation pressure to the balloon, the distal shaft section comprising a guide wire lumen to receive a guide wire, which guide wire lumen has a guide wire inlet, located between the end portion of the proximal shaft section and the balloon, and a guide wire outlet, located distally to the balloon and leading to an exterior of the catheter, in which a flexible transition member is attached to the distal end portion of the proximal shaft segment extending into the distal shaft segment, characterized in that the distal end portion of the proximal shaft section is skived and in that the transition member is secured to the proximal shaft section substantially all along said skived distal end portion of the proximal shaft section. 
   
   
       2 . A balloon catheter according to  claim 1  characterized in that said skived end portion of said proximal shaft section has a predetermined length. 
   
   
       3 . A balloon catheter according to  claim 1  characterized in that a proximal end portion of the transition member extends inside a tubular portion of the proximal shaft section and in that said proximal end portion of said transition member touches an inside wall of said tubular portion of said proximal shaft section while having a smaller cross section than a portion of said transition member disposed more distally. 
   
   
       4 . A balloon catheter according to  claim 3  characterized in that said transition member comprises a core wire and in that the proximal end of said core wire is provided with a notch at a side across from the inside wall of the tubular portion of the proximal shaft segment. 
   
   
       5 . A balloon catheter according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that at least a distal part of said transition member has a diameter generally diminishing in a distal direction. 
   
   
       6 . A balloon catheter according to  claim 5  characterized in that said distal part of said transition member has a predetermined length. 
   
   
       7 . A balloon catheter according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the transition member and the distal portion of the proximal shaft section are glued together. 
   
   
       8 . A balloon catheter according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said transition member has a length of between 20 and 30 centimeter. 
   
   
       9 . A balloon catheter according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that said transition member has a maximum diameter of between 0.25 and 0.35 millimeter.