초록 ▼

A medical device includes a flexible, elongated tube having a continuous, smooth, outer surface, adapted for introduction into the body, and a connection for introducing inflation fluid into the space defined by the length of the tube. The tube is elastomer and the tube wall is in a weakened state w

A medical device includes a flexible, elongated tube having a continuous, smooth, outer surface, adapted for introduction into the body, and a connection for introducing inflation fluid into the space defined by the length of the tube. The tube is elastomer and the tube wall is in a weakened state while adjacent portions of the tube are not so weakened, the wall of the selected portion having a lower resistance to expansion than adjacent portions. By use of heat-sensitive, annealable plastic, a tube of uniform thickness is weakened at a selected location by annealing. The selected limited-length portion, by reason of its weakened state, is adapted to preferentially respond to pressure of inflation fluid within the tube by expanding transversely to a balloon shape larger than adjacent portions of the tube that are subjected to the same pressure. In a preferred embodiment, the device includes a tube surrounded by a sleeve having the limited-length, preferentially expansive portion and anti-stick means in the preferred form of a porous inner sleeve extends between the outer sleeve and the central member. The outer sleeve extends about the end of the central member to define the lead surface.

대표청구항 ▼

A medical device comprising a flexible, elongated, tubular member of uniform wall thickness having a continuous, smooth outer surface of uniform outer diameter, adapted for introduction into the body, said tubular member comprised of heat-sensitive elastomer, said tubular member, as formed, having a

A medical device comprising a flexible, elongated, tubular member of uniform wall thickness having a continuous, smooth outer surface of uniform outer diameter, adapted for introduction into the body, said tubular member comprised of heat-sensitive elastomer, said tubular member, as formed, having a predetermined resistance to expansion, a selected, limited-length tubular portion of the wall of said tubular member being in a post-formation, annealed, weakened state while adjacent portions of said tubular member are not so annealed, the wall of said selected portion having a lower resistance to expansion than said adjacent portions of said wall having uniform thickness, and a connection for introducing inflation fluid into the space defined by the length of said tubular member, said selected limited-length portion by reason of said annealed state, adapted to preferentially respond to pressure of inflation fluid within said tubular member by expanding transversely to a balloon shape larger than said adjacent portions of said tubular member that are subjected to the same pressure.