Catheter with a coiled support member

A balloon catheter, comprising:

• a) an elongated shaft with an inflation lumen, a guidewire receiving lumen, a proximal shaft section having proximal and distal ends and a proximal portion of the inflation lumen, and a distal shaft section having proximal and distal ends and a distal portion of the inflation lumen in fluid communication with the proximal portion of the inflation lumen, and having at least part of the guidewire receiving lumen extending within the distal shaft section to a guidewire distal port in the distal end thereof,
• b) an inflatable balloon on the distal shaft section having an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen;
• and
• c) a support member secured to the shaft having a proximal end within the proximal shaft section, a distal end within the distal shaft section, and having at least one section which is coiled and at least one section which is not coiled.

A rapid exchange type balloon catheter, comprising:

• a) an elongated shaft with an inflation lumen, a guidewire receiving lumen, a proximal shaft section having proximal and distal ends and a proximal portion of the inflation lumen, and a distal shaft section having proximal and distal ends and a distal portion of the inflation lumen in fluid communication with the proximal portion of the inflation lumen, and having a guidewire proximal port, a guidewire distal port in the distal end thereof, and the guidewire receiving lumen extending there between within the distal shaft section;
• b) an inflatable balloon on the distal shaft section having an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen;
• and
• c) a support member secured to the shaft and extending from a location proximal to the guidewire proximal port to a location distal to the guidewire proximal port, and having a proximal end within the proximal shaft section, a distal end within the distal shaft section, and at least a section which is coiled.