BALLOON CATHETER WITH AXIAL FLEXIBILITY

摘要

A balloon catheter having improved flexibility in and about its distal end i s provided. The flexibility of the catheter is determined in part by improving the properties of a wire or catheter located within the area where the ballo on is mounted. In one aspect of the present invention, connecting wires extend through the balloon from the distal end of a catheter body to the proximal e nd of a core wire. The core wire extends distally away from the connecting wire s and the catheter body. In another aspect of the present invention, a core wi re is provided having a proximal end extending within the balloon into the catheter tubular body but is not mounted therein. This allows the proximal e nd of the core wire to "float" within the tubular body, such that when the catheter is advanced through the vasculature of a patient, the core wire may move longitudinally within the tubular body. In another aspect of the presen t invention, the balloon is mounted over a tubular body which is configured to give the catheter longitudinal flexibility.