Dilatation catheter apparatus and method
AssigneeThomas J. Fogarty
InventorsThomas J. Fogarty, Albert K. Chin
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Abstract
A dilatation catheter is provided with an inflatable section which in its non-inflated condition may have a diameter several times that of the balance of the catheter. Means are provided to axially twist the inflatable part of the catheter to reduce its diameter in its non-inflated condition to a size comparable to that of the non-inflatable balance of the catheter so that the catheter may be threaded through and positionally emplaced within a blood vessel.
Claims8
A dilatation catheter comprising an elongated flexible tubular body member, a tip member in spaced relation to the distal end of said body member, an annular inflatable bag interconnecting said tip member and said distal end of said body member, a wire extending through said body member and said bag and secured to said tip member, and knob means attached to the proximal end of said wire enabling said wire to be rotated about its longitudinal axis to rotate said tip member and axially twist said bag and thereby decrease the diameter of said bag in its noninflated condition.
A method for inserting an inflatable balloon into a partially occluded section of a blood vessel comprising axially twisting the balloon to reduce its diameter for passage along said vessel and into said partially occluded section, moving said balloon along said vessel while maintaining its axially twisted condition to emplace it in said section, axially untwisting said balloon while it is in place within said section, and inflating said balloon in place within said section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.