Endoscopic balloon catheter

An apparatus for removable engagement with a guidewire, the apparatus comprising:

• a catheter comprising:
• a flexible, elongated catheter body including an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen;
• an inflatable balloon affixed to the catheter body;
• and
• a slit passing between the guidewire lumen and an exterior surface of the catheter body, the slit extending from a distal end of the guidewire lumen to a position along the catheter body proximal of the balloon;
• and
• an adapter configured to merge the catheter onto a guidewire, the adapter comprising:
• an adapter lumen configured to receive the catheter body and the balloon;
• a side groove extending along an outer surface of the adapter, the side groove configured to receive the guidewire and to align a portion of the guidewire with the adapter lumen;
• and
• a wedge extending from an inner surface of the adapter lumen, the wedge configured to widen a portion of the slit for passage of the aligned portion of the guidewire through the widened portion of the slit and into the guidewire lumen of the catheter.

A method for merging a balloon catheter onto a guidewire, the method comprising:

• obtaining a catheter, the catheter comprising:
• a flexible, elongated catheter body including an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen;
• an inflatable balloon affixed to the catheter body;
• and
• a slit passing between the guidewire lumen and an exterior surface of the catheter body, the slit extending from a distal end of the guidewire lumen to a position along the catheter body proximal of the balloon;
• obtaining an adapter configured to merge the catheter onto a guidewire, the adapter comprising:
• an adapter lumen configured to receive the catheter body and the balloon;
• a side groove extending along an outer surface of the adapter, the side groove configured to receive the guidewire and to align a portion of the guidewire with the adapter lumen;
• and
• a wedge extending from an inner surface of the adapter lumen;
• receiving the catheter within the adapter lumen and engaging the catheter with the wedge to widen a portion of the slit;
• and
• merging the aligned portion of the guidewire into the guidewire lumen of the catheter through the widened portion of the slit.

An adapter for merging a catheter onto a locked guidewire, comprising:

• means for receiving a catheter having an inflatable balloon affixed thereto, the catheter including a slit extending along at least a portion of the length of the catheter to a position proximal of the balloon;
• means for aligning a portion of a locked guidewire with the catheter, without unlocking the guidewire;
• and
• means for widening a portion of the slit of the catheter such that the aligned portion of the locked guidewire merges into the catheter through the widened portion of the slit.