Patent ID: 8109955

Claim:
A rotational atherectomy device for abrading a stenotic lesion from a vessel of a patient comprising a flexible drive shaft which extends towards a distal end of the device, a distal fluid inflatable support element located at a distal end of the drive shaft, an abrasive element mounted to the drive shaft proximal to and spaced away from the distal fluid inflatable support element, and a proximal fluid inflatable support element located proximal to and spaced away from the abrasive element, both the abrasive element and the distal fluid inflatable support element being rotatable together with the drive shaft, the drive shaft comprising a torque transmitting coil which defines a long lumen of the drive shaft, the distal fluid inflatable support element having a wall and the proximal fluid inflatable support element having a wall, wherein the walls of both the distal and the proximal fluid inflatable support elements are formed from a fluid impermeable membrane that is continuous and stretchable and that permanently crosses a longitudinal axis common to the torque transmitting coil and the lumen of the drive shaft at the distal end of the device, wherein pressurized fluid flowing along the lumen of the drive shaft is prevented from entering the vessel in the direction of said longitudinal axis so that the fluid has to pass through the distal fluid inflatable support element, thereby inflating said distal fluid inflatable support element and exiting from the device through at least one outflow opening in the distal fluid inflatable support element in a direction different from the direction of the longitudinal axis of the coil and the lumen.