INFLATABLE MEMBER HAVING ELASTIC EXPANSION WITH LIMITED RANGE

摘要

An intravascular catheter such as an angioplasty catheter having a catheter shaft with an expandable tubular element on its distal end which upon inflation to an internal pressure at or above a threshold pressure expands in a manner which is related to the internal pressure. The maximum transverse dimension of the expandable tubular element is generally not greater than the maximum transverse dimension of the catheter shaft. Preferably, the expandable tubular element is formed of a heat shrinkable polymeric material such as a polyolefinic ionomer.