Patent ID: 7141059

Claim:
A balloon catheter, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and at least one lumen, a distal portion of the shaft being within an outer sheath, the outer sheath having a wedge-shaped distal end with an angled distal leading face, and the distal portion of the shaft extends distally at least in part out the distal leading face, so that the distal leading face extends partially around the shaft circumference by an amount is greater than 0° and less than 360° when viewed in a cross-sectional plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and which decreases distally toward a distal end of the distal leading face, and the distal end of the shaft is distal to at least part of the distal leading face; and b) an inflatable balloon sealingly secured to a distal shaft section, having an inflatable interior in fluid communication with the at least one lumen of the shaft such that the wedge-shaped distal end of the outer sheath is located distal to the inflatable interior of the balloon wherein the outer sheath is a distal skirt section of the balloon, having at least a portion bonded to the shaft.