Balloon guide catheter with positive venting of residual air

A method for using a balloon guide catheter;

• wherein the balloon guide catheter has a catheter shaft having an outer surface, a proximal end, and an opposite distal end;
• the catheter shaft having an inner surface forming a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end;
• the main lumen being configured to receive a guidewire therein;
• the catheter shaft between the inner and outer surfaces having an arc shape inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen;
• the catheter shaft having an inlet vent defined in the outer surface radially outward from the inner surface of the catheter shaft and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen;
• and the catheter shaft having a first exhaust vent disposed longitudinally through a distal terminating end of the inflation lumen coinciding with a distal terminating end of the main lumen;
• the balloon guide catheter further including a first porous membrane disposed at the first exhaust vent within the distal terminating end of the inflation lumen;
• the first porous membrane having a plurality of holes defined therein sized to permit only gas to pass therethrough;
• and the balloon guide catheter also including an expandable balloon secured about the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet vent;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• prior to introduction of the balloon guide catheter into a target vessel, prepping the balloon guide catheter by positively venting residual air distally from the inflation lumen and the expandable balloon via the first exhaust vent.

A method of manufacture of a balloon guide catheter including:

• a catheter shaft having an outer surface, a proximal end, and an opposite distal end;
• the catheter shaft having an inner surface forming a main lumen defined therein extending axially therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end;
• the main lumen being configured to receive a guidewire therein;
• the catheter shaft between the inner and outer surfaces having an arc shape inflation lumen defined axially therein arranged semi-encircling the main lumen;
• the catheter shaft having an inlet vent defined in the outer surface radially outward from the inner surface of the catheter shaft and in fluid communication with the inflation lumen;
• and the catheter shaft having a first exhaust vent disposed longitudinally through a distal terminating end of the inflation lumen coinciding with a distal terminating end of the main lumen and a second exhaust vent defined radially inward through the inner surface of the catheter shaft in fluid communication between the inflation lumen and the main lumen;
• a porous membrane disposed at each of the first exhaust vent within the distal terminating end of the inflation lumen and the second exhaust vent;
• the porous membrane having a plurality of holes defined therein sized to permit only gas to pass therethrough;
• and an expandable balloon secured about the outer surface of the catheter shaft proximate the distal end of the catheter shaft and coinciding with the inlet vent;
• the method comprising the step of:
• forming a tubular main liner to form the main lumen axially therethrough;
• the formed tubular main liner having a region etched with a polymeric strike layer at selected sections of surfaces;
• punching a first opening radially through the formed tubular main liner that serves as the second exhaust vent disposed radially inward in fluid communication with the main lumen defined axially therethrough;
• providing the porous membrane having a region etched with a polymeric strike layer at selected sections of surfaces of the porous membrane;
• positioning the porous membrane to cover the punched second exhaust vent defined in the formed tubular main liner;
• and
• laminating the formed tubular main liner attached together with the porous membrane under an application of heat.