Patent ID: 6712833
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: A61M,B29C,B29K,B29L

Abstract:
A method of making a catheter balloon having a thinned skirt section for securing the balloon to a catheter, comprising:a) blow molding tubing to form expanded tubing with a radially enlarged skirt section by expanding the tubing in a balloon mold having a skirt portion for forming the radially enlarged skirt section, the skirt portion of the balloon mold having an inner diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of the thinned skirt section of the balloon, and wherein the tubing is expanded in the balloon mold such that the inner diameter of the radially enlarged skirt section is greater than an inner diameter of an intermediate section of the expanded tubing between the radially enlarged skirt section and a tapered section adjacent thereto; and b) decreasing an inner diameter and the outer diameter of the radially enlarged skirt section, to form the thinned skirt section of the balloon.