Patent ID: 7972350
Filing Date: 2011-07-05
Classification: A61F,A61M

Abstract:
1. A catheter comprising: a catheter shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an inflation balloon having a proximal waist portion, a proximal cone portion, a main body portion, a distal cone portion and a distal waist portion; and a catheter tip having a guidewire lumen extending therethrough, the catheter tip comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a proximal shaft portion, a central shaft portion and a distal shaft portion, a cross-sectional area of the central shaft portion defined by a single peripheral layer of catheter tip material extending around said guidewire lumen, said cross-sectional area of the central shaft portion being substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the proximal shaft portion and substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the distal shaft portion, said catheter tip comprising a first balloon storage recess located between the distal shaft portion and the central shaft portion and a second balloon storage recess located between the central shaft portion and the proximal shaft portion, each balloon storage recess extending around a full outer periphery of the catheter tip, said balloon storage recesses not in fluid communication with said guidewire lumen, a cross-sectional area of the catheter tip at the first balloon storage recess being less than said cross-sectional area of the central shaft portion, a cross-sectional area of the catheter tip at the second balloon storage recess being less than said cross-sectional area of the central shaft portion, said catheter tip and said catheter shaft defining discrete structures, said catheter tip proximal end being coupled to said catheter shaft distal end, said balloon distal waist portion being attached to said catheter tip distal shaft portion; the first balloon storage recess oriented beneath the balloon distal cone portion and the second balloon storage recess oriented beneath the proximal cone portion, in an unexpanded state at least a portion of the balloon being stored in the first balloon storage recess.