Single lumen balloon guide catheter

A catheter assembly, comprising a balloon catheter having a lumen and an elongate member to be positioned in the lumen of the balloon catheter,

• wherein the balloon catheter comprises:
• a tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining the lumen of the balloon catheter, and
• a balloon circumferentially around a distal end portion of the tubular body, the balloon comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion each being secured to the tubular body, and a distensible portion defining an interior that is in fluid communication with the lumen of the balloon catheter, the distal end portion of the balloon extending through the outer surface and the inner surface of the tubular body into the lumen of the balloon catheter, forming a sealing portion circumferentially around the inner surface of the tubular body, and
• wherein the elongate member is longitudinally movable in the lumen of the balloon catheter between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position, the elongate member is proximal to the sealing portion allowing a fluid to pass through the sealing portion, and at the second position, the elongate member is within and substantially fluid-tight sealed by the sealing portion, thereby forming an inflation lumen between the elongate member and the tubular body of the balloon catheter for introducing a fluid to inflate the balloon.

A method, comprising:

• providing a catheter assembly comprising a first catheter having a lumen and a second catheter having a lumen, the second catheter being configured to be positioned in the lumen of the first catheter,
• wherein the first catheter comprises:
• a tubular body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surface defining the lumen of the first catheter, and
• a balloon circumferentially around a distal end portion of the tubular body, the balloon comprising a proximal end portion and a distal end portion each being secured to the tubular body, and a distensible portion defining an interior that is in fluid communication with the lumen of the first catheter, the distal end portion of the balloon extending through the outer surface and the inner surface of the tubular body into the lumen of the first catheter, forming a sealing portion circumferentially around the inner surface of the tubular body, and
• wherein the second catheter is longitudinally movable in the lumen of the first catheter between a first position and a second position, wherein at the first position, the second catheter is proximal to the sealing portion allowing a fluid to pass through the sealing portion, and at the second position the second catheter is within and substantially fluid-tight sealed by the sealing portion, thereby forming an inflation lumen between the second catheter and the tubular body of the first catheter for introducing a fluid to inflate the balloon;
• positioning the second catheter at the first position;
• introducing a fluid from a proximal end of the lumen of the first catheter and from a proximal end of the lumen of the second catheter and allowing the fluid to exit a distal end of the lumen of the first catheter and a distal end of the lumen of the second catheter;
• positioning the second catheter at the second position to form the inflation lumen;
• introducing a fluid into the inflation lumen to inflate the balloon of the first catheter;
• and
• withdrawing the second catheter proximally to allow the fluid in the balloon to exit.