Patent ID: 6994687

Claim:
A balloon catheter comprising: a catheter body comprising an outer tubular member having an outer tubular wall and having a lumen extending throughout the length of the outer tubular member, said outer tubular member further having a proximal end and a distal end; said catheter body further including an inner tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a guidewire lumen extending therethrough, said inner tubular member being disposed through said lumen of the outer tubular member to form an inflation lumen between the outer tubular member and the inner tubular member; an inflatable balloon having a main body portion, a proximal portion, and a distal portion, said proximal portion and said distal portion extending from said main body portion, said distal portion of the balloon being bonded to the inner tubular member and said proximal portion of the balloon being bonded to the outer tubular member, said inflatable balloon being formed from a gas-permeable material; a coupling member having an inflation port and a guidewire port, said coupling member being mounted on the proximal end of the outer tubular member and the guidewire port of the coupling member communicating with the guidewire lumen and the inflation port of the coupling member communicating with the lumen between the outer tubular member and the inner tubular member; and at least one vent aperture for purging air from said inflation lumen, said aperture extending radially through said outer tubular wall of the outer tubular member at a location proximal of the proximal portion of the inflatable balloon, said vent aperture being of the size to permit the flow of air through the aperture while restricting the flow of liquid through the aperture.