Catheter balloon with retraction coating
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorsLixiao Wang, Linda J. Vickerman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An inflatable balloon (14) for a catheter (10) includes a coating (15) which causes the balloon to prefer a predetermined, low profile configuration, such as a trifold configuration (40), when deflated. The balloon has a wall (13) which has an exterior polymeric coating (15). The coating (15) is set while the balloon is in the predetermined low-profile deflated configuration so that after inflation, the coating acts to urge the balloon to return to the low profile configuration as the balloon is deflated.
Claims7
A method for treating a dilatation balloon to prefer a preshaped, deflated folded configuration so that, after inflation to a dilatation pressure, the balloon reattains the preshaped deflated folded configuration when the balloon is deflated, the method comprising forming the balloon into said preshaped deflated folded condition, coating the balloon with a formulation comprising a coating polymer and, while the balloon is in said preshaped deflated folded configuration, setting the coating.
A method for treating a dilatation balloon to prefer a preshaped, deflated folded configuration so that, after inflation to a dilatation pressure, the balloon reattains the preshaped deflated folded configuration when the balloon is deflated, the method comprising forming the balloon into said preshaped deflated folded condition, coating the balloon with a formulation comprising a coating polymer and, while the balloon is in said preshaped deflated folded configuration, setting the coating, wherein the coating material and thickness are selected to provide the balloon with the property that the balloon will return to the preshaped deflated folded configuration upon deflation after inflation to a pressure of at least 9 atm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.