Patent ID: 8465509

Claim:
An apparatus for removing deposits from a selected location on an inner surface of a tubular structure, comprising: an expansible device constructed such than, in its non-expanded condition, it is introducible into the tubular structure, manipulatable therein to said selected location of the tubular structure, and radially-expansible therein to engage the inner surface of the tubular structure and the deposits to be removed; and at least one elongated scraper cord carried on an outer surface of said expansible device, said scraper cord being of a flexibility and a thickness to engage the inner surface of said tubular structure upon the expansion of said expansible device, and having a circumferentially-extending intermediate length axially movable with respect to and along the outer surface of said expansible device in its expanded condition to scrape away said deposits from the inner surface of the tubular structure, wherein said intermediate length of the scraper cord includes a plurality of interconnected direction-alternating sections such as to occupy a substantial portion of the outer surface of said expansible device, and wherein said scraper cord has a proximal end which, together with said intermediate length, is releasably retained on the outer surface of the expansible device such that, in the expanded condition of the expansible device, the proximal end of the scraper cord may be moved in the proximal direction to cause said intermediate length of the scraper cord to move between said outer surface of the expansible device and said inner surface of the tubular structure to thereby scrape away said deposits from said inner surface.