Catheter balloon having a controlled failure mechanism

摘要

A catheter balloon having a controlled failure mechanism such that release of pressure contained within the balloon occurs in a controlled fashion when a predetermined inflation pressure in excess of normal operating pressure is reached within the balloon. The failure mechanism is the result of incorporating a failure mechanism into at least one end of the balloon, for example, with a controlled amount of attachment of the at least one end to the catheter shaft. This end of the balloon therefore fails at a predetermined pressure with the failure occurring before catastrophic failure of the balloon by rupture between the balloon ends. The controlled failure mechanism allows for non-catastrophic failure such that the balloon remains intact following failure and remains easily withdrawable from the body conduit into which it has been inserted.