Balloon anchor wire

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a medical device and more specifically, to a anchor device which is adapted to facilitate the positioning of an ablation element at a location where a pulmonary vein extends from the left atrial wall.

#2. Description of the Related Art

#FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of the preferred fixed corewire balloon anchor wire in accordance with a preferred mode of the present invention, in which the corewire extends along the entire length of balloon anchor wire.

#FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a variation of the fixed corewire balloon anchor wire of the present invention, in which the corewire extends only partially through the balloon anchor wire.

#FIGS. 2A-C are transverse cross-sectional views of the balloon anchor wire illustrated in FIG. 1B, taken along lines, A-A, B-B and C-C, respectively.

#Balloon Anchor Wire

#A cross-sectional view of the preferred “fixed corewire” balloon anchor wire of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1A. The balloon anchor wire 10 consists of a tubular member 12 with a balloon 14 attached to the distal region 16 of the tubular member. The tubular member is fitted over an integral corewire 18. The corewire 18 extends through the entire length of the tubular member, providing support (e.g., enhancing push force and kink resistance). The distal region 20 of the corewire 18 is tapered providing greater flexibility to the distal region 16 of the tubular member. The distal end 22 of the corewire 18 is bonded to the distal end 24 of the tubular member 12. The bond between the corewire and the tubular member is airtight, so that the balloon can be inflated. A wire coil 26 may be placed over the distal end 22 of the corewire to help provide support to the corewire and prevent kinking. Preferably, the wire coil 26 protrudes distally from the balloon as illustrated in FIGS. 1A & B to aid in atraumatic navigation of vessel branches.

#Where the preferred continuous corewire design illustrated in FIG. 1A is employed, the tubular member 12 may have only two distinct regions corresponding in transverse cross-section to FIG. 2B and FIG. 2C. However, where the corewire 18 extends only partially through the tubular member, as shown in FIG. 1B, it may terminate anywhere proximal to the balloon 14. In this variation, the tubular member may comprise distinct proximal 28, intermediate 30, and distal 16 regions, in which the corewire terminates in the proximal region 28 of the tubular member 12. In such case, the proximal region 28 of the tubular member 12 is constructed of a heavier gage polymer (see cross-sectional view, FIG. 2A), capable of providing the necessary push force and kink resistance, which is provided by the corewire 18 in the continuous corewire design of FIG. 1A.