Patent ID: 7022106
Filing Date: 2006-04-04
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. Apparatus suitable for enhancing pushability of a balloon catheter, the apparatus comprising: an outer tube having proximal and distal ends; a connecting tube having proximal and distal ends; an inner tube having proximal and distal ends and a guidewire lumen extending therethrough, the inner tube disposed coaxially within the outer tube to define an inflation lumen therebetween; and a balloon having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end of the balloon is affixed to the outer tube at a proximal affixation point and the distal end of the balloon is affixed to the inner tube at a distal affixation point to define a balloon segment extending therebetween, wherein the outer tube tapers just distal to the proximal affixation point to a reduced diameter segment, the connecting tube is coupled to the reduced diameter segment and has an outside diameter equal to that of the reduced diameter segment, and the reduced diameter segment and connecting tube are affixed to the inner tube and the connecting tube extends at least one-half of the length of the balloon segment to increase pushability of the balloon, but does not extend to the distal affixation point, a tapered portion of the outer tube just distal of the proximal affixation point defining an inflation aperture proximal of the distal end of the outer tube.