Patent ID: 6264672
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61M

Abstract:
An apparatus for performing balloon angioplasty and stenting, comprising:a guide wire of elongate, flexible construction;a balloon catheter that slideably receives said guide wire;a guide catheter that slideably receives said balloon catheter;a plurality of jointed members formed in said balloon catheter near a distal end thereof;said jointed members having a position of repose where they are substantially flush with said balloon catheter;each joint member of said plurality of joint members having a proximal joint, a distal joint that is longitudinally spaced apart from said proximal joint, and a middle joint that is substantially half-way between said proximal and distal joints;said jointed members having a deployed configuration where each middle joint is displaced radially outwardly, with respect to a longitudinal axis of said balloon catheter, when each distal joint is displaced toward its associated proximal joint;first positive displacement means for selectively displacing each of said distal joints toward their respective proximal joints;said first positive displacement means including an enlargement means formed on a distal end of said guide wire, said enlargement means having a breadth greater than an inner diameter of said balloon catheter so that displacement of said guide wire in a distal-to-proximal direction causes each of said middle joints to displace radially outwardly with respect to said longitudinal axis of said balloon catheter;second positive displacement means for selectively displacing each of said distal joints away from their respective proximal joints;said second positive displacement means including said guide catheter, said guide catheter collapsing said jointed members and returning them to said position of repose when said guide catheter is displaced in a proximal-to-distal direction;a mesh structure of flexible construction disposed in ensleeving relation to said balloon catheter;a first, distal end of said mesh structure being secured to said balloon catheter at a preselected location just slightly distal of said jointed members;a second, proximal end of said mesh structure extending to a preselected point just slightly proximal of said middle joints of said jointed members;said second, proximal end of said mesh structure being enlarged in diameter when said middle joints are displaced radially outwardly;said mesh structure allowing blood to flow therethrough;said mesh structure capturing and retaining emboli from a balloon angioplasty procedure when said middle joints are displaced radially outwardly; andsaid mesh structure returning to a position of repose when said middle joints are displaced radially inwardly.