Medical balloon including radiopaque insert for precisely identifying a working surface location

A balloon catheter adapted for use with a guidewire, comprising:

• an elongated, tubular shaft extending in a longitudinal direction, said shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an inflatable balloon supported along the distal end of the shaft, the balloon when inflated including first and second spaced ends and a working surface therebetween;
• an insert located within an interior compartment of the balloon and at least partially separate from the shaft, the insert including at least a radiopaque portion for identifying an edge of the working surface, the insert adapted for allowing inflation fluid to pass from the tubular shaft into the interior compartment of the balloon;
• and
• a retractable sheath in the interior compartment of the balloon for at least partially covering the insert,
• wherein the insert comprises a plurality of fingers adapted for moving from a retracted condition to an expanded condition when the balloon is inflated,
• wherein the plurality of fingers are spaced apart to allow fluid to freely flow past the plurality of fingers into the interior compartment.

A balloon catheter adapted for use with a guidewire, comprising:

• an elongated, tubular shaft extending in a longitudinal direction, said shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an inflatable balloon having an interior compartment extending along the distal end of the shaft, the balloon when inflated including first and second spaced ends and a cylindrical portion including a working surface therebetween;
• and
• an insert comprising at least one finger located within the interior compartment of the balloon, the insert having a proximal end attached to the balloon, the insert including at least a radiopaque portion at a distal end of the insert for identifying an edge of the working surface, wherein the insert comprises a first insert located in a first conical portion of the balloon at the first end, and the catheter further includes a second insert spaced from the shaft and located in a second conical portion of the balloon at the second end, the first insert aligning with the edge at a proximal end of the working surface and the second insert aligning with a distal end of the working surface.