Flexible low compliance extension tubing for balloon inflation

Abstract

A controlled volume inflation-deflation device to inflate a balloon to occlude a blood vessel by dialing a knob that locks at rotational positions to locate a plunger at equally spaced locations within a syringe of the inflation-deflation device. The inflation-deflation device includes a releasable latch to lock the proximal and distal housings together to hold the plunger forward for occlusion, and to separate and hold the proximal and distal housings to retract the plunger for perfusion. When the inflation-deflation device is returned to the latched position, the balloon is re-inflated to its previous occlusive diameter. Also, an extension tube made of a lower modulus outer material co-extruded over and miscible with a higher modulus inner material may be used to produce a suitably low compliance extension tube for the inflation-deflation device. The balloon may have tapered ends and a cylindrical center portion so that it increases by more equal increments in outer diameter in response to incremental equal increases in inflation volume.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 advancing a catheter percutaneously through a blood vessel to a region of interest, the catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior surface at or adjacent the distal end of the catheter axially coupled to a balloon;   locating a plunger at a first location in a syringe tube having a fluid output coupled to a fluid input of the catheter; then   pushing a button to unlock the plunger position in the syringe tube; then
 a) rotating a knob of the syringe to push the plunger to a second location in the syringe tube to inflate the balloon to an inflation diameter; 
 b) reading a pressure display to determine a pressure in the syringe; 
 c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel at the region of interest; 
   if the occlusion is not attained, repeating a), b) and c) to attain occlusion; and   performing a treatment of the blood vessel at the region of interest.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a) further comprises pushing the button to lock the plunger position at the second location in the syringe tube. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein locating the plunger at the first location includes initially inflating the balloon to a pre-determined low pressure; and
 wherein a) rotating the knob of the syringe to push the plunger to the second location includes rotating an incremental inflation knob as per a chart and previous vessel sizing to inflate the balloon to the inflation diameter.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel includes performing contrast injections or pressure readings to test for occlusion; and wherein reading the pressure display includes reading a pressure gauge attached to an extension tube that links the fluid output of the syringe to the fluid input of the catheter. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein locating a plunger at the second location includes inflating the balloon for a first period of time; and wherein performing the treatment includes infusing a treatment agent to the region of interest distal or proximal to the balloon prior during the first period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein pushing button to unlock includes releasing the syringe tube location with respect to the plunger. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein locating a plunger at the first location includes locking the plunger with a releasable latch at the first location in the syringe tube; and further comprising, after performing the treatment, releasing the plunger with the releasable latch to locate the plunger at a different third location in the syringe tube to deflate the balloon. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein locking the plunger with the releasable latch releasably latching an index lock of a proximal portion of the syringe into a pin recesses of a pin attached to a distal portion of the syringe; and wherein releasing the plunger with the releasable latch includes releasing the index lock from the pin recesses. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 advancing a catheter percutaneously through a blood vessel to a region of interest, the catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior surface at or adjacent the distal end of the catheter axially coupled to a balloon;   locating a plunger at a first location in a syringe tube having a fluid output coupled to a fluid input of the catheter; then   pushing a button to unlock the plunger position in the syringe tube; then
 a) rotating a knob of the syringe to push the plunger to a second location in the syringe tube to inflate the balloon to an inflation diameter, and then pushing the button to lock the plunger position at the second location in the syringe tube; 
 b) reading a pressure display to determine a pressure in the syringe; 
 c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel at the region of interest; 
   if the occlusion is not attained, repeating a), b) and c) to attain occlusion; and   performing a treatment of the blood vessel at the region of interest.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein pushing button to unlock includes releasing the syringe tube location with respect to the plunger, and wherein pushing button to lock includes locking the syringe tube location with respect to the plunger. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein locating a plunger at the first location includes locking the plunger with a releasable latch at the first location in the syringe tube; and further comprising, after performing the treatment, releasing the plunger with the releasable latch to locate the plunger at a different third location in the syringe tube to deflate the balloon. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein locking the plunger with the releasable latch releasably latching an index lock of a proximal portion of the syringe into a pin recesses of a pin attached to a distal portion of the syringe; and wherein releasing the plunger with the releasable latch includes releasing the index lock from the pin recesses. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein locating the plunger at the first location includes initially inflating the balloon to a pre-determined low pressure; and
 wherein a) rotating the knob of the syringe to push the plunger to the second location includes rotating an incremental inflation knob as per a chart and previous vessel sizing to inflate the balloon to the inflation diameter.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel includes performing contrast injections or pressure readings to test for occlusion; and wherein reading the pressure display includes reading a pressure gauge attached to an extension tube that links the fluid output of the syringe to the fluid input of the catheter. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein locating a plunger at the second location includes inflating the balloon for a first period of time; and wherein performing the treatment includes infusing a treatment agent to the region of interest distal or proximal to the balloon prior during the first period of time. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 advancing a catheter percutaneously through a blood vessel to a region of interest, the catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, and an exterior surface at or adjacent the distal end of the catheter axially coupled to a balloon;   locating a plunger at a first location in a syringe tube having a fluid output coupled to a fluid input of the catheter;   locking the plunger with a releasable latch at the first location in the syringe tube; then   pushing a button to unlock the plunger position in the syringe tube; then
 a) rotating a knob of the syringe to push the plunger to a second location in the syringe tube to inflate the balloon to an inflation diameter, and then pushing the button to lock the plunger position at the second location in the syringe tube; 
 b) reading a pressure display to determine a pressure in the syringe; 
 c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel at the region of interest; 
   if the occlusion is not attained, repeating a), b) and c) to attain occlusion;   performing a treatment of the blood vessel at the region of interest; and   releasing the plunger with the releasable latch to locate the plunger at a different third location in the syringe tube to deflate the balloon.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein pushing button to unlock includes releasing the syringe tube location with respect to the plunger, and wherein pushing button to lock includes locking the syringe tube location with respect to the plunger. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein locking the plunger with the releasable latch releasably latching an index lock of a proximal portion of the syringe into a pin recesses of a pin attached to a distal portion of the syringe; and wherein releasing the plunger with the releasable latch includes releasing the index lock from the pin recesses. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein c) testing for occlusion of the blood vessel includes performing contrast injections or pressure readings to test for occlusion; and wherein reading the pressure display includes reading a pressure gauge attached to an extension tube that links the fluid output of the syringe to the fluid input of the catheter. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein locating a plunger at the second location includes inflating the balloon for a first period of time; and wherein performing the treatment includes infusing a treatment agent to the region of interest distal or proximal to the balloon prior during the first period of time.