Patent ID: 7879053

Claim:
A catheter balloon comprising: a proximal waist portion; a proximal cone portion attached to the proximal waist portion; a distal waist portion; a distal cone portion attached to the distal waist portion; and a body section extending between the proximal cone portion and the distal cone portion, wherein in a fully inflated state the body section comprises: a first body portion having a first inflated cross-sectional area; a second body portion located distal to the first body portion, the second body portion having a second inflated cross-sectional area and at least one stiffening member fixedly bonded to an outer surface of the second body portion, each stiffening member occupying only a portion of a circumference of the second body portion; and a third body portion located distal to the second body portion, the third body portion having a third inflated cross-sectional area; wherein the second inflated cross-sectional area is less than the first inflated cross-sectional area; wherein the balloon defines a longitudinal axis and a radial distance between the longitudinal axis and an outer surface of said at least one stiffening member is at least equal to a radial distance between the longitudinal axis and an outer surface of the first body portion when the balloon is inflated; wherein each stiffening member comprises an elongate structure extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the balloon.