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 method comprising:
providing a pressure system connectable to a catheter for fluid communication with a balloon disposed on a distal end of said catheter; dilating valve leaflets with a first region of said balloon; subsequent to said dilating said valve leaflets, expanding a second region of said balloon into contact with a valve annulus; said pressure system determining contact between said second region of said balloon and said valve annulus; wherein said first region of said balloon has a first diameter that is larger than a second diameter of said second region during said contact with said valve annulus.