Patent ID: 7351301
Filing Date: 2008-04-01
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a balloon catheter, comprising: providing a balloon catheter having an elongated shaft with proximal and distal shaft sections and an inflation lumen extending therein, an inflatable balloon on the distal shaft section and in surrounding relation thereto having proximal and distal ends, an intermediate section longitudinally disposed between the balloon proximal and distal ends, and an interior chamber in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, and an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member disposed within at least a portion of the outer tubular member, the outer and inner tubular members defining at least a portion of the inflation lumen, the inner tubular member having an inner lumen for slidably receiving a guidewire therein; disposing a hollow mandrel over the inner tubular member within the outer tubular member, the distal end of the hollow mandrel being distal to the balloon proximal end, and the mandrel having a proximal end, a distal end, a lumen, and at least one cutaway strip extending from the hollow mandrel distal end to a location proximal to the hollow mandrel distal end, such that the inner tubular member is within the lumen of the hollow mandrel and is exposed along the cutaway strip; providing a protective sleeve encircling the outer tubular member at a distal portion of the distal shaft section housing at least a portion of the mandrel including the cutaway strip, and forcing the inner surface of the outer tubular member radially inwardly against the outer surface of the inner tubular member at the cutaway strip; controllably directing heat from a heat source onto a predetermined length of the distal portion of the catheter distal shaft section to concentrate the heat at a portion of the outer tubular member and a portion of the inner tubular member to thereby melt the materials of at least the outer surface of the inner tubular member and the inner surface of the outer tubular member along the predetermined length; allowing the previously melted materials to cool and solidify to form a bond between the outer tubular member and the inner tubular member; removing the protective sleeve and the mandrel.