# US 6,719,720 B1 · Balloon catheter > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,719,720 B1 - Document ID: US6719720B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/508,121 - Filed: 2000-08-28 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 1997-09-06 - Inventors: Wolfram Voelker; Thorsten Siess; Helmut Reul - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6719720B1 ## CPC - A61M 25/1011: {Multiple balloon catheters} - A61F 2/958: Inflatable balloons for placing stents or stent-grafts - A61M 2025/1013: {with concentrically mounted balloons, e.g. being independently inflatable} - A61M 2025/1072: {having balloons with two or more compartments} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract The balloon catheter comprises a catheter tube (10) provided with a high pressure balloon (14) designed for performing a vessel dilatation. Further provided is at least one low pressure balloon (17) joining the high pressure balloon (14) and expanded with a lower pressure. Thereby, the stress acting on the blood vessel at the ends of the high pressure balloon (14) or a stent (20) is decreased, thus reducing the danger of dissections of the vessel wall. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A balloon catheter comprising a catheter tube (10) carrying a first high pressure balloon (14) surrounding the catheter tube (10) and at least one second low pressure balloon (17; 17a, 17b) surrounding the catheter tube (10), first means (15) and second means (18) for introducing pressurized fluid into the respective first and second balloons (14; 17; 17a, 17b), first and second means (21, 22) for maintaining the respective first and second balloons (14:17; 17a, 17b) both pressurized in the expanded conditions thereof thereby forming a substantially uninterrupted exterior surface of varied rigidity and substantially uniform diameter, a tubular expandable stent (20) surrounding the first and second balloons, and said tubular expandable stent (20) having an end surrounding said at least one second low pressure balloon (17; 17a, 17b). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 including at least another second low pressure balloon (17a or 17b) surrounding the catheter tube (10), and said one and another second low pressure balloons (17a, 17b) are located at axially opposite ends of said first high pressure balloon. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said stent end and another end of said stent surround respective ones of said one and another second low pressure balloons (17a, 17b). ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said second maintaining means (22) is a low pressure fluid source, and means (19) for conducting pressurized fluid from said low pressure fluid source (22) to said second fluid introducing means (18) thereby subjecting said one and another second low pressure balloons (17; 17a, 17b) to low fluid pressure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said second maintaining means (22) is a low pressure fluid source, and means (19) for conducting pressurized fluid from said low pressure fluid source (22) to said second fluid introducing means (18) thereby subjecting said one and another second low pressure balloons (17; 17a, 17b) to low fluid pressure, and means (23) for relieving pressure from said one and another second low pressure balloons (17; 17a, 17b) when said one and another second low pressure balloons (17; 17a, 17b) are subject to fluid pressure beyond the fluid pressure of said low pressure fluid source (22). ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said first maintaining means (21) is a high pressure fluid source, and means (16) for conducting pressurized fluid from said high pressure fluid source (21) to said first fluid introducing means (15) thereby subjecting said first high pressure balloon (14) to high fluid pressure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 2 wherein said second low pressure balloon (17) completely surrounds said high pressure balloon (14), said second low pressure balloon (17) has axially opposite tubular ends projecting beyond axial ends of said high pressure balloon (14), and said stent end and another end of said stent surround respective ends of said second low pressure balloon (17). ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 including at least another second low pressure balloon (17a or 17b) surrounding the catheter tube (10), and said one and another second low pressure balloons (17a, 17b) are located at axially opposite ends of said first high pressure balloon and share a common wall therebetween. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said second maintaining means (22) is a low pressure fluid source, and means (19) for conducting pressurized fluid from said low pressure fluid source (22) to said second fluid introducing means (18) thereby subjecting said second low pressure balloon (17) to low fluid pressure. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said second maintaining means (22) is a low pressure fluid source, and means (19) for conducting pressurized fluid from said low pressure fluid source (22) to said second fluid introducing means (18) thereby subjecting said second low pressure balloon (17) to low fluid pressures and means (23) for relieving pressure from said second low pressure balloon (17) when said second low pressure balloon (17) is subject to fluid pressure beyond the fluid pressure of said low pressure fluid source (22). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said first maintaining means (21) is a high pressure fluid source, and means (16) for conducting pressurized fluid from said high pressure fluid source (21) to said first fluid introducing means (15) thereby subjecting said first high pressure balloon (14) to high fluid pressure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said second low pressure balloon (17) completely surrounds said first high pressure balloon (14), said second low pressure balloon (17) has axially opposite tubular ends projecting beyond axial ends of said first high pressure balloon (14), and said stent end and another end of said stent surround respective ends of said second low pressure balloon (17). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said second maintaining means (22) maintains said at least another second low pressure balloon (17a or 17b) pressurized in the expanded conditions of said first high pressure balloon (14) and said at least one second low pressure balloon (17; 17a, 17b) and at substantially the same uniform diameters thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The balloon catheter as defined in claim 1 wherein said first high pressure balloon (14) and said at least one second low pressure balloon (17; 17a, 17b) share a common wall in part defining respective high and low pressure chambers of said respective first high pressure balloon (14) and said at least one second low pressure balloon (17; 17a, 17b).