Patent ID: 8562559

Claim:
An intra-aortic catheter, comprising: a first elongate member comprising a proximal portion, a collapsible distal portion, and a lumen extending through the proximal portion and the collapsible distal portion; a second elongate member comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen between the proximal end and the distal end, the lumen of the second elongate member comprising a chamber, the collapsible distal portion of the first elongate member positioned within the lumen of the second elongate member; and a dilator positioned within the lumen of the first elongate member, the dilator configured to expand the collapsible distal portion of the first elongate member from a first, collapsed cross-sectional configuration to a second, expanded cross-sectional configuration; wherein the chamber of the second elongate member is configured to, when pressurized, collapse the collapsible distal portion of the first elongate member from the second, expanded cross-sectional configuration to a third, collapsed cross-sectional configuration, the collapsible distal portion of the first elongate member having an outer diameter smaller in the third, collapsed cross-sectional configuration than in the second, expanded cross-sectional configuration.