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US 8,523,887 B2Granted
Stiffened balloon apparatus with increased flexibility
OwnerJeffrey Grayzel, Joseph Grayzelinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to a stiffened balloon which can be used in angioplasty, endovascular, and valvuloplasty procedures or as a delivery balloon to deliver a stent or a stent-graft. Longitudinally discontinuous stiffening members connected to the expandable balloon stiffen the balloon but allow it to be navigated through curved passages. Projections on the stiffening members may engage, incise, crush, fracture, or pierce occlusions or retain a stent or stent-graft. Radio-opaque portions may be referenced to determine orientation. Longitudinally continuous stiffening members bearing projections and connected to the balloon perform in a similar manner.
Claims49
A stiffened balloon apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey body fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of the stiffening members includes a pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of the stiffened balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion having a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material in a radially outward-most part of said stiffening member extending from one lateral side of said stiffening member to the other lateral side of said stiffening member, and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said localized narrowed area,
- wherein said pivot portion comprises a cut-out constituting a minor fraction of the length of said stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots.
A stiffened balloon apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey bodily fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of the said stiffening members includes a pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of said balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion comprising a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member constituting a minor fraction of the length of said stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a cut-out in a lateral side of said stiffening member and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said localized narrowed area.
A stiffened balloon apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey bodily fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of said stiffening members includes a pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of said balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion comprising a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material extending from a radially inward-most to a radially outward-most part thereof across the entire dimension of the lateral side of said stiffening member and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said localized narrowed area.
A stiffened balloon apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey bodily fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of the said stiffening members includes a pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of said balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion comprising a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member constituting a minor fraction of the length of said stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material in a lateral side thereof and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said localized narrowed area.
apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey bodily fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having two or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of said stiffening members includes a first pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of the stiffened balloon through a curved passage, said first pivot portion comprising a first localized narrowed area of the stiffening member constituting a first minor fraction of the length of the stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material in a first radially outward-most part of the stiffening member and a first smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said first localized narrowed area;
- and
- wherein at least a second of said stiffening members includes a second pivot portion at which said second stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of the stiffened balloon through said curved passage, said second pivot portion comprising a second localized narrowed area of said second stiffening member constituting a second minor fraction of the length of the second stiffening member at which said second stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a cut-out extending from a radially inward-most part of said second stiffening member to a radially outward-most part thereof across at least a portion of the lateral side of said second stiffening member and a second smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the second stiffening member adjacent to said second localized narrowed area.
1 more element
apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey body fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of said stiffening members includes a pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of the stiffened balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion comprising a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member constituting a minor fraction of the length of said stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material in a radially outward-most part thereof and in a lateral side thereof, and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent to said localized narrowed area.
apparatus for use in passages in the human body that convey body fluids comprising:
- an expandable stiffened balloon having one or more elongate, longitudinally continuous stiffening members permanently attached to said balloon, said stiffening members being comprised of a material stiffer than the material of said balloon and being disposed along longitudinal perimeters of said balloon,
- wherein at least one of the stiffening members includes at least one pivot portion at which said stiffening member may flex or pivot to facilitate navigation of the stiffened balloon through a curved passage, said pivot portion comprising a localized narrowed area of said stiffening member constituting a minor fraction of the length of said stiffening member at which the stiffening member flexes or pivots and being characterized by a relative absence of stiffener material in a radially outward-most part thereof and in a radially inward-most part thereof and in a lateral side thereof, said absence of material in said radially inward-most part extending from one lateral side of said stiffening member to the other lateral side of said stiffening member, and a smaller cross-sectional area relative to the cross-sectional areas of the stiffening member adjacent portions of to said member localized narrowed area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.