Patent ID: 7708931

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter, comprising: molding a balloon into a shape comprising an inflatable portion and a neck portion, wherein said inflatable portion has a first diameter and said neck portion has a second diameter, said first diameter being larger than said second diameter, wherein said neck portion has a first thickness; inserting a mandrel through said neck portion, an outer surface of said mandrel being in direct contact with an inner surface of said neck portion; applying a first heat shrink tubing onto an outer diameter of said neck portion; heating said first heat shrink tubing and said neck portion thereby compressing said neck portion between said mandrel and said first heat shrink tubing, wherein said heating and compressing of said neck portion causes said neck portion to flow along said mandrel and lengthen said neck portion such that said first thickness is reduced to a second thickness; removing said mandrel from said neck portion after said first thickness has been reduced to said second thickness and prior to inserting a catheter through said neck portion; inserting said catheter through said neck portion having said reduced second thickness; and bonding said neck portion having said reduced second thickness to said catheter.