Patent ID: 8197505

Claim:
A balloon catheter comprising: a hollow inner shaft disposed within a hollow outer shaft such that the distal end of the inner shaft extends beyond the distal end of the outer shaft, wherein the lumen of said inner shaft is suitable for allowing the passage of a guidewire through all or part of its length; a balloon attached at its proximal end to said outer shaft and at its distal end to said inner shaft; and wherein an inflation fluid is adapted to be introduced into the annular space formed between the inner surface of the outer shaft and the outer surface of the inner shaft and therefrom into the lumen of said balloon, and for the removal thereof; wherein the inner shaft is constructed such that following radial expansion of the balloon to a first expanded state, said inner shaft is capable of responding to further longitudinal expansion of the balloon to a second expanded state by increasing its length from a resting value, and of responding to subsequent partial deflation back to said first expanded state by reducing its length back to said resting value; and wherein the balloon is attached at its distal end to said inner shaft in an intussuscepted manner or the balloon is attached at its distal end to said inner shaft in a non-intussuscepted manner but distal intussusception may be created by moving the inner shaft in a proximal direction during operation of the balloon catheter.