Patent ID: 7163524

Claim:
A rapid exchange balloon catheter comprising: a tubular catheter body made from a metal material and possessing a length of 100–200 cm; a balloon which can be inflated and deflated and is mounted on the distal end side of the catheter body; a balloon lumen which is formed of a lumen of the catheter body and that communicates with the inside of the balloon, an inner tube is inserted into the balloon and a guide wire lumen is formed of the lumen of the inner tube; the guide wire lumen possessing a first opening at a distal end side of the balloon and a second opening at a proximal end side of the balloon, with said second opening positioned 3–30 cm from said first opening, and said guide wire lumen being adapted to receive a guide wire inserted from the distal end side of the balloon to the proximal end side outside of the catheter body, and the catheter body has a groove formed in a longitudinal direction in the outer periphery thereof in such a manner that a tubular wall of the catheter body is caved in, the groove extending along almost the entire length of the catheter body, and when the catheter body is bent in one direction into a bent configuration with the groove located on an inner side of the bent configuration, the groove causes flexural rigidity of the catheter body to be lower than if the catheter body is bent in other directions; and the thickness of the tubular wall of the catheter body is almost constant along the entire circumference including the groove formed portion, wherein a guide wire is insertable to the guide wire lumen from the distal end side of the balloon, is exposed from the proximal end side of the balloon outside of the catheter body, and is positionable in said groove substantially parallel to the catheter body.