Balloon catheter and method for manufacturing it

摘要

A balloon catheter includes a catheter tube and an inflatable balloon. The ends of the balloon are attached to the catheter tube. The outside surface of the balloon in an uninflated state is provided with a relief structure which in an inflated state of the balloon is substantially disappeared. A method for producing such a relief structure is by winding a wire helically around the outer surface of the balloon.

主权项

1. A balloon catheter comprising:
a catheter shaft disposed on a longitudinal axis; and a balloon including opposite ends attached to the catheter shaft, and further including an outside surface that, when the balloon is in an uninflated and folded state, comprises a plurality of helical grooves intersecting one another that substantially disappears when the balloon is in an inflated state at an intended operating pressure during use, wherein the helical grooves remain unoccupied and wherein the balloon in the folded state includes a plurality of circumferential folds, such that at least one first portion of the outside surface is not exposed to the exterior environment and one second portion of the outside surface is exposed to the exterior environment, and wherein at least one groove is present on the second portion of the outside surface, but not present on the first portion of the outside surface.