Patent ID: 7172609

Claim:
An apparatus for use in performing an angioplasty procedure at the site of a stenosis in the vasculature of a patient which comprises: a catheter; an inflatable balloon mounted on said catheter, said inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end and defining an axis, said balloon being insertable into the vasculature of a patient and positioned therein for movement between a deflated configuration and an inflated configuration; an elongated resilient base member having a first end and a second end, with the first end of said base member affixed to said catheter at a location proximal to the proximal end of said balloon and with said second end of said base member affixed to said catheter at a location distal to the distal end of said balloon for movement of said base member with said balloon; and a plurality of blade segments attached to said base member for movement therewith, with a portion of each said blade segment being juxtaposed with a portion of at least one other said blade segment and being axially off-set therefrom to allow relative movement therebetween during a movement of said balloon from said deflated configuration into said inflated configuration to embed at least one of said plurality of blade segments into the stenosis.