Valvuloplasty Catheter And Methods

摘要

A valvuloplasty catheter has a dog-bone shaped balloon with semi-compliant smaller diameter waist and non-compliant larger diameter bulbous end regions. The balloon centers across the valve with the waist adjacent to the annulus. One bulbous region serves to hyperextend the valve leaflets and the other assists in stabilizing the balloon position to reduce migration. The semi-compliant waist increases in diameter as fluid enters the balloon until it comes into contact with the valve annulus. The pressure within the balloon per unit of volume delivery has a greater slope after contact with the annulus than before resulting in a change in slope for the pressure versus volume curve. The diameter of the balloon and annulus are determined at this inflection point when the balloon contacts the annulus.

主权项

1. A balloon catheter for dilating tissue of a lumen of a body vessel, said balloon catheter having an expandable balloon located at its distal end, said balloon comprising;
A. at least 3 individual balloons aligned axially along an axis and in intimate contact with each other forming attachment sites, each of said individual balloons being attached to a manifold that communicates with an inlet port located at the proximal end of the catheter, said manifold providing access for inflation fluid under pressure to the interiors of said individual balloons to inflate said individual balloons from a smaller diameter to a larger diameter; B. A central flow area located along said axis and in direct contact with a portion of each of said individual balloons; said central flow area not making fluid communication with said interiors of said individual balloons; C. Said central flow area providing passage for a fluid from the lumen of the body vessel at a proximal end of said balloon to the lumen of the body vessel at a distal end of said balloon while each of said individual balloons are inflated to said larger diameter and into contact with the tissue during tissue dilation.