Patent ID: 6814730
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
A medical device used to circumferentially ablate the interior surface of hollow human body lumen comprising:a balloon catheter having an elongated tubular shaft having a catheter axis and a distal end; said tubular shaft providing a fluid passageway; an inflatable balloon attached to said tubular shaft adjacent said distal end; said balloon having an outer surface and an inner surface that defines a main chamber that is in communication with said fluid passageway of said tubular shaft; said outer surface of said balloon having a configuration defined by multiple outwardly extending protrusions around said outer surface; said protrusions being hollow to form sub-chambers that are in communication with said main chamber of said balloon; the outer surface distance between said protrusions define grooves whereby when said balloon is inflated by a pressurized fluid in a hollow human body lumen a sufficient amount to press said outer surfaces of said protrusions against the interior tissue surface of said lumen, said grooves will provide passageways that prevent complete blockage of said hollow body lumen; when the fluid is heated to a temperature high enough for tissue ablation, discontinuous lesions will be produced on the interior surface of the tissue in said lumen where said protrusions contact said tissue.