Method of forming balloon catheter
OwnerNozomu Kanesakainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A balloon catheter is formed by a heat shrinkable tube. In the method, a rod member is inserted into the shrinkable tube, and parts of the shrinkable tube are heated so that the parts of the shrinkable tube shrink to thereby form end portions of at least one balloon portion while a portion away from the end portions does not shrink. Two end portions of the balloon portion are processed to have a small diameter. Then, the rod member is removed from the shrinkable tube, and a catheter shaft is inserted into the balloon portion to completely pass therethrough. Finally, the two end portions of the balloon portion are fixed onto the catheter shaft. Since the heat shrinkable tube with the constant thickness is used, high quality catheter can be formed without fail.
Claims12
A method of forming a balloon catheter, comprising:
- preparing a heat shrinkable tube forming at least one balloon portion, said heat shrinkable tube having a first diameter,
- inserting a rod member into the shrinkable tube,
- heating parts of the shrinkable tube so that the parts of the shrinkable tube shrink to have a second diameter less than the first diameter to thereby form end portions of the at least one balloon portion while a portion away from the end portions has the first diameter,
- removing the rod member from the balloon portion,
- inserting a catheter shaft into the balloon portion to completely pass therethrough, and
- fixing two end portions of the balloon portion onto the catheter shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.