Balloon catheter suited to kissing techniques

A balloon catheter suited to kissing techniques which comprises a tubular body having a balloon provided on a flexible distal section of a shaft, the balloon comprising a most distal end portion, a distal tapered portion, a balloon straight portion, a proximal tapered portion and a most proximal end portion, the shaft comprising a flexible distal section, a transient section and a stiff proximal section, wherein the balloon catheter has (1) a gripping property of 3.2 N to 6.0 N, which is obtained when a balloon having a length of 20 mm and a folding diameter of 0.70 to 0.90 mm is fitted into a polyurethane tube having a diameter of 2.4 mm and a length of 10 mm and the balloon is expanded to a diameter of 2.5 mm and pulled toward a proximal side of said tube at a speed of 250 mm/min in a water bath of 37° C.;

• and (2) a cross ability of not higher than 0.65 N for the most distal end portion and of not higher than 0.40 N for the straight portion, which values are obtained when a balloon having a length of 20 mm and a folding diameter of 0.70 to 0.90 mm which is expanded to a diameter of 2.5 mm is pushed and inserted into a hole having a diameter of 0.4 mm in a polyurethane film having a thickness of 1 mm at a speed of 500 mm/min in a water bath of 37° C.