Patent ID: 7488337

Claim:
An assembly with proximal and distal ends for bone, tissue and/or duct dilatation of a living being comprising in combination: (a) a tube having a fluid inlet at a tube proximal end, a fluid outlet at a tube distal end, and a tube lumen extending between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet; (b) an inflatable and deflatable balloon element having a balloon interior and balloon proximal and distal ends in fluid communication with the tube lumen; and, (c) balloon tensioning and/or balloon wrapping device(s) for stretching the balloon element and/or folding, pleating or wrapping the balloon element before and/or after inflation to facilitate insertion and/or removal of the balloon element through a narrow diameter duct, access channel or canula, said balloon tensioning and/or balloon wrapping device(s) comprising at least a spring element, located at the proximal end of the assembly proximal of the fluid inlet and fluidically isolated from the tube lumen, which spring element can alternately be compressed or decompressed, said spring activating an associated rod extending through at least a part of said tube lumen and said balloon interior such that compression of the spring element applies an axial stretching force to the balloon and decompression of the spring element releases the axial stretching force.