Patent ID: 6179811
Filing Date: 2001-01-30
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A medical catheter comprising:a guide wire shaft having a distal end and a proximal end, an inner diameter defining an inner lumen and an outer diameter, the guide wire shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal portion having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the proximal portion being affixed to the proximal end of the distal portion;an inflation lumen tube defining an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the guide wire shaft distal end extending distal to the inflation lumen tube;an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the balloon being in fluid communication with the inflation lumen;at least a proximal most radiopaque marker band and a distal most radiopaque marker band each having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the outer diameter of marker band initially being smaller than the inner diameter of each the guidewire shaft such that the guidewire shaft can be coaxially positioned over the radiopaque marker bands thereby positioning the radiopague marker band between the proximal end and the distal end of the inflatable balloon;the radiopague marker bands being embedded into the inner diameter of the distal portion of the guidewire shaft; andthe guide wire shaft distal portion having an outer layer thereon, the outer layer having a proximal end and a distal end, an inner diameter and an outer diameter, the balloon distal end being sealingly affixed to the outer layer, the outer layer proximal end extending proximal of the proximal end of the proximal most marker band, the outer layer distal end ending distally of the distal end of the distal most radiopaque marker band, the outer layer is bonded to the distal portion of the guide wire shaft, the marker band are embedded into the distal portion of the guide wire shaft such that there is no significant increase in the outer diameter of the outer layer due to the marker bands.