Microsurgical apparatus for opening up occluded blood vessel

摘要

The tubular device (10) is used for microsurgery. It effectively dilates a thrombosed or occluded blood vessel (95). It incorporates a balloon (8) which is inflated to enlarge the lumen of the blood vessel. The device has a first central tube which extends some way upstream of the balloon, extends through the balloon and extends a little way downstream. There is a flexible second tube (5) on the upstream end, of larger diameter than the first tube and concentric with it. There is a narrow flexible shaft (6) which drives a miniature pump (1) which draws blood into the first tube. Blood may flow through apertures (93) in the first tube to inflate the balloon.