Patent ID: 8137369

Claim:
A rotational atherectomy device for removing a stenotic lesion from a vessel of a patient, the device comprising an abrasive element mounted to a distal end portion of a rotatable, flexible, hollow drive shaft proximal to and spaced away from a fluid inflatable distal support element fixedly positioned at a distal end of the drive shaft such that the fluid inflatable distal support element rotates together with the abrasive element in response to rotation of the drive shaft, wherein the abrasive element comprises a solid body that extends around an entire circumference of the drive shaft and comprises an abrasive outer surface that is fixedly positioned relative to the drive shaft, the drive shaft having a longitudinal axis and a fluid impermeable wall which extends along a length of the drive shaft to a region of the distal end portion of the drive shaft having one or more apertures and defines a fluid impermeable guide wire lumen of the drive shaft, the fluid impermeable guide wire lumen being configured for advancement of the drive shaft over a guidewire across the stenotic lesion and for transfer of pressurized fluid into a fluid inflatable space of the distal support element after crossing the stenotic lesion and removing the guidewire from the drive shaft or withdrawing it into the drive shaft, the distal support element being inflatable by pressurized fluid which flows into a proximal end portion of the fluid impermeable guide wire lumen, flows in an antegrade direction through the lumen and is at least partially re-directed into the distal fluid inflatable support element, the proximal end portion of the fluid impermeable guide wire lumen being located outside of a body of the patient, the distal fluid inflatable support element having an outer wall comprising an outflow opening located such that said outflow opening faces an inner surface of a vessel during rotation of the drive shaft, the outflow opening having an axis which forms an angle of at least about seventy five (75) degrees with the longitudinal axis of the drive shaft when the distal fluid inflatable support element is inflated, so that the outflow opening is configured to output fluid flow during rotation of the fluid inflated distal support element for forming a layer of fluid between the outer wall of the rotating fluid inflated distal support element and a wall of the vessel, said layer of fluid being operable to form a fluid bearing between the outer wall of the rotating fluid inflated distal support element and the wall of the vessel during rotation and back and forth movements of the drive shaft within the vessel after removing the guidewire from the drive shaft or withdrawing it into the drive shaft.