Patent ID: 7273470

Claim:
A rapid exchange type balloon catheter, comprising: a) an elongated shaft having an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen, and i) a proximal shaft section comprising a metallic tubular member, defining a proximal portion of the inflation lumen; ii) a distal shaft section at the distal end of the proximal shaft section, comprising an outer tubular member defining a distal portion of the inflation lumen, and an inner tubular member defining the guidewire lumen extending from a guidewire proximal port at the proximal end of the inner tubular member to a guidewire distal port at the distal end of the inner tubular member, the guidewire proximal port being formed by a side opening extending through a sidewall of the outer tubular member having a section of the inner tubular member in the side opening and fused to the sidewall of the outer tubular member, and the outer tubular member having a fused section along which the inner tubular member is fused thereto and which extends from the proximal end of the inner tubular member to a location proximal to the distal end of the outer tubular member, and the inner tubular member extending from a distal end of the fused section is radially spaced apart from an inner surface of the outer tubular member around the entire circumference thereof; and iii) a reinforcing tube in a section of the outer tubular member, extending from a location proximal of the guidewire proximal port to a location distal of the guidewire proximal port, having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the reinforcing tube is at a location at which the inner tubular member is radially spaced apart from the inner surface of the outer tubular member around the entire circumference thereof, and having a proximal end bonded to the distal end of the metallic tubular member, an inner surface defining a portion of the inflation lumen, and having an outer surface in contact with and not bonded to an inner surface of the fused section of the outer tubular member; and b) an inflatable balloon on the distal section having a proximal end secured to the outer tubular member, a distal end secured to the inner tubular member, and an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen.