BALLOON CATHETER FOR TREATING HARDENED LESIONS

摘要

The present invention provides apparatus and methods for treating vascular conditions, and in particular, hardened or fibrous material in a stenosis. In a first embodiment, the apparatus comprises a catheter (20) having proximal and distal regions and a plurality of balloons segments (24-27) disposed on the distal region at intervals about a circumference of the catheter. A first set of opposing balloon segments are configured to be inflated at substantially the same time to apply a first pressure on the vascular condition, and then a second set of opposing balloon segments are configured to be inflated at substantially the same time to apply a second pressure on the vascular condition. The plurality of balloon segments may be formed by taking one length of balloon material and affixing the material to an outer surface of the catheter at a plurality of segment dividing locations to separate adjacent balloon segments, or alternatively, by providing multiple separate balloon materials.