Patent ID: 7708753

Claim:
A balloon catheter for dilation of a lumen, comprising: a shaft extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion, said distal portion adapted to be introduced into a body lumen, and said proximal portion adapted to remain outside of said body lumen to manipulate said distal portion; a balloon mounted on said distal portion of said shaft, said shaft having an inflation lumen extending therethrough in fluid communication with an interior region of said balloon, said balloon thereby being expandable between a deflated state and an inflated state, wherein at least a length of an outer surface of said balloon comprises a working diameter adapted to dilate said body lumen, said length extending between a balloon proximal end and a balloon distal end; a guidewire lumen extending through at least a portion of said shaft and an entirety of said balloon; at least two dilation wires extending within said shaft from said distal portion of said shaft to said proximal portion of said shaft, wherein each of said dilation wires is positionable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein, in said retracted position, substantially an entirety of each of said dilation wires is disposed externally of said guide wire lumen within said shaft, and wherein, in said extended position, at least a proximal portion of each of said dilation wires is disposed externally of said guide wire lumen within said shaft, wherein a distal end of each of said dilation wires is disposed proximal from said balloon proximal end in said retracted position, and said distal end of each of said dilation wires is disposed distal from said balloon proximal end in said extended position, said dilation wires thereby being disposed adjacent at least a portion of said working diameter of said balloon in said extended positions, wherein when said balloon is expanded against a stenosis, said dilation wires contact and crack or break-up said stenosis; and a moveable member disposed on said shaft and connected to a proximal end of each of said dilation wires, whereby movement of said moveable member relative to said shaft causes said dilation wires to move together between said retracted position and said extended position.