Dual modulus balloon for interventional procedures
AssigneeMercator MedSystems, Inc.
InventorsKirk Patrick Seward, Isidro M. Gandionco, David Gandionco
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for interventional surgical or medical procedures is presented. The device is generally in the form of a balloon and is used to position itself or other working elements up against or through lumen walls in the body. The balloon is comprised of at least two materials of different elastic modulus, which allows for a flexible but relatively non-distensible, unfolding component of the balloon as well as an elastomeric, inflatable component of the balloon. The elastomeric component is fixedly attached to the flexible but relatively non-distensible component and together they form a pressure vessel that can be inflated within the lumens of the body.
Claims7
A method for deploying a tool in a body lumen, said method comprising:
- introducing the tool into the body lumen;
- inflating an actuator to advance the tool within the body lumen, wherein the actuator is inflated to a pressure below a threshold pressure to advance the tool by a fixed distance determined by a flexible but relatively non-distensible section of the actuator;
- and
- inflating the actuator to further advance the tool within the body lumen, wherein the actuator is inflated to a pressure above the threshold pressure to allow expansion of an elastomeric region of the actuator which was not significantly inflated at pressures below the threshold pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.