Catheter Assemblies and Methods for Stabilizing a Catheter Assembly Within a Subintimal Space

14:

• The catheter assembly of claim 9, wherein the inflatable balloon is an integral portion of the outer tubular component, with a proximal end of the balloon being coupled to a proximal portion of the outer tubular component and a distal tip of the balloon being coupled to a distal tip portion of the outer tubular component, and the proximal portion, balloon, and distal tip portions define a continuous lumen there-through.

16:

• The method of claim 15, wherein the catheter assembly further comprises,
• an elongate outer tubular component including the inflatable balloon mounted at a distal end thereof, and
• an elongate inner tubular component including the self-expanding support structure mounted at a distal end thereof.

17:

• The method of claim 16, wherein the self-expanding support structure includes first and second wings that bow outward from the inner tubular component in opposite directions from each other when in the expanded state within the balloon and wherein during the step of tracking, the first and second wings are held in a compressed state within the outer tubular component proximal of the balloon.

18:

• The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the self-expanding support structure within an inflatable balloon includes longitudinally aligning the support structure within the inflatable balloon via relative sliding movement between the inner and outer tubular components.

19:

• The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the self-expanding support structure within an inflatable balloon includes circumferentially aligning the support structure within the inflatable balloon via relative rotation between the inner and outer tubular components.

20:

• The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:
• creating a subintimal conduit through the catheter assembly that extends in a true lumen proximal to an occlusion, through the subintimal space, and back into the true lumen distal to the occlusion, wherein the balloon remains inflated around the expanded support structure during the step of creating the subintimal conduit.