| 主权项 |
1. A balloon catheter comprising:
a catheter shaft; and a balloon wall defining a balloon including:
proximal and distal ends each attached to the catheter shaft and disposed on a longitudinal axis, the balloon wall having first, second, and third portions, the second portion including a helical groove between the first and third portions circumferentially about the axis to adjoin the first and third portions, the first portion defining a groove therein having an end terminating where the second portion adjoins the first portion, the third portion defining a groove therein having an end terminating where the second portion adjoins the third portion, and the end of the first portion groove proximate to the end of the third portion groove; wherein the grooves of the first, second, and third portions define valleys in the balloon wall separated by peaks in the balloon wall and are substantially disappeared when the balloon is in an inflated state at an intended operating pressure during use, and wherein the valleys remain unoccupied by a stent for deployment when the balloon is in an uninflated and folded state before use in a patient. |
