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AssigneeCathco, Inc.
InventorsRobert E. Fischell, David R. Fischell, Tim A. Fischell
Estimating the term…
An expandable external radiopaque marker band is situated external to the balloon of a balloon angioplasty catheter typically at the balloon's longitudinal center. When the balloon is inflated to dilate an arterial stenosis, the external radiopaque marker band is moved radially outward by the balloon thereby forcing the external radiopaque marker band into the arterial wall. When the balloon is then deflated, the external radiopaque marker band remains in place against the wall of the dilated stenosis. The balloon angioplasty catheter can then be removed from the artery while the expanded external radiopaque marker band remains in place to indicate (typically) the center position of the dilated stenosis. The external radiopaque marker band is typically made from a dense, radiopaque metal such as tantalum, gold, platinum or an alloy of those dense metals.
A balloon catheter having a distal section with an inflatable balloon located at that distal section and having one expandable external radiopaque marker band located coaxially around and external to the inflatable balloon, the longitudinal length of the external radiopaque marker band when it is deployed being less than one-third the length of the cylindrical section of the balloon when the balloon is inflated.
A method for marking a specific location in a blood vessel of a human subject, the method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.