Patent ID: 7883537

Claim:
A method of reconfiguring a portion of an at least partially expanded expandable device deployed at an anatomical lumen comprising the steps of: introducing into the lumen a stiffened balloon, made of a balloon material, bearing a longitudinal stiffener permanently attached to the balloon at a first location on the balloon, wherein said longitudinal stiffener is made of a first material that is different from and stiffer than said balloon material; determining an orientation of said longitudinal stiffener with reference to a radio-opaque portion of the stiffener; modifying the orientation of said longitudinal stiffener to align with the portion of the expandable device; and expanding said balloon to cause said stiffener to exert a first radial force against the portion of the expandable device to reconfigure the portion; wherein said first radial force is greater than a radial force applied by said balloon at any other location on the balloon.