Rapid exchange folded balloon catheter and stent delivery system

A balloon catheter system comprising:

• an initially deflated inflatable balloon;
• a guidewire;
• an annular elastic sleeve structure disposed around said balloon for resiliently circumferentially compressing said balloon;
• and
• a stent structure disposed on said balloon and forming an annulus around said balloon, said guidewire passing axially along said balloon inside the annulus formed by said stent structure but outside said balloon.

A balloon catheter system and guide wire system comprising:

• an initially deflated inflatable balloon;
• a guide wire passing axially along said balloon without traversing the interior of said balloon;
• and
• an annular stent structure disposed around said balloon and said guide wire at the location of said balloon for keeping said balloon adjacent to said guide wire at the location of the balloon.

A stent delivery catheter system comprising:

• an annular stent structure;
• a balloon having an interior, proximal and distal ends, and an initially deflated configuration wherein the balloon is laterally folded in on itself in a plurality of folds, the annular stent structure retaining the balloon in the initially deflated configuration;
• a guidewire;
• a proximal lumen communicating with the interior of the balloon;
• and
• a guidewire lumen having a distal end disposed proximally of the proximal end of the balloon member, the guidewire disposed for translation through the guidewire lumen so as to exit the distal end of the guidewire lumen and pass between the plurality of folds of the balloon.

A balloon catheter system comprising:

• a balloon having an interior, proximal and distal ends, and an initially deflated configuration wherein the balloon is laterally folded in on itself in a plurality of folds;
• an elastic annular member disposed around the balloon to retain the balloon in the initially deflated configuration;
• a proximal lumen communicating with the interior of the balloon;
• a guidewire;
• and
• a guidewire lumen having a distal end disposed proximally of the proximal end of the balloon, the guidewire disposed for translation through the guidewire lumen so as to exit the distal end of the guidewire lumen and pass between the plurality of folds of the balloon.