Patent ID: 7544201

Claim:
A rapid exchange balloon dilation catheter adapted to be utilized with a guidewire, the catheter comprising: an elongated catheter shaft having a shaft proximal portion, a shaft distal portion, and a shaft transitional portion disposed therebetween, each of the proximal, distal and transitional shaft portions having a proximal end and a distal end; a balloon having a proximal end, a distal end and an interior, the proximal end of the balloon being attached to the distal end of the shaft distal portion; the catheter shaft including a proximal tubular member having a bore and extending from the proximal end of the shaft proximal portion into the shaft transitional portion, the proximal portion of the bore defining a proximal inflation/deflation lumen for conveying fluids therethrough and the distal portion of the bore being filled with a fluid-impervious barrier; a distal body extending from the fluid-impervious barrier to the distal end of the shaft distal portion; a plurality of distal tubular members, each distal tubular member having a bore and extending from the proximal inflation/deflation lumen through the fluid-impervious barrier and the distal body to the distal end of the shaft distal portion, the bores of the distal tubular members defining distal inflation/deflation lumens for conveying fluids therethrough, the distal inflation/deflation lumens being in fluid communication with the proximal inflation/deflation lumen at their proximal ends and with the interior of the balloon at their distal ends; a guidewire tubular member having a bore and originating from a side aperture formed in the distal body, extending through the distal body alongside the distal tubular members in a multi-lumen arrangement, then through the interior of the balloon to the distal end of the balloon, the bore of the guidewire tubular member defining a guidewire lumen for conveying a guidewire through the shaft distal portion and the balloon; and a plurality of stiffening members, each stiffening member extending from within the fluid-impervious barrier and into the distal body to a respective point within the shaft distal portion.