A sheathed tubular semi-rigid balloon catheter for performing probing, irrigation, dilation, suction and potential intubation of the nasolacrimal system or paranasal sinus system to treat for stenosis or obstruction. The catheter includes a sheathed tubular probe portion through which a tracer fluid can be injected and through which suctioning of blood or other material can be conducted. The sheath portion of the device can have a distal segment that is inflated in order to dilate parts the nasolacrimal or paranasal sinus system. The high axial load accommodating catheter tool includes a more secure and inexpensively manufactured bond between the metallic semi-rigid tube of the probe portion and the plastic hand-manipulable, multi-connector hub using an enlarged bonding collar.

A balloon catheter may include a shaft having a distal side and a proximal side and a balloon provided at the distal side of the shaft. The balloon may have a plurality of wings in a deflated state, with each of the wings having a projection on an outer surface in a wrapped state, and each of the projections having a projecting direction, which is opposite to a wrapping direction of the wing. In a cross section that is perpendicular to a long axis direction of the balloon, a base of the projection may have a base first end part farther from a tip of the wing and a base second end part closer to the tip of the wing, and a tip of the projection may be closer to a base of the wing with respect to a line passing through the base first end part which is perpendicular to a line passing through the base first end part and the base second end part.

A balloon catheter including a catheter shaft, a balloon and a support assembly. The catheter shaft defines an internal shoulder and carries the balloon. The support assembly includes a first member and a second member. The second member defines opposing, leading and trailing ends, and is arranged over the first member such that the leading end is distal the trailing end. The leading end is free of direct physical attachment to the first member. The support assembly extends within a lumen of the catheter shaft and the leading end bears against the internal shoulder. A pushing force applied at a proximal region of the catheter shaft is transferred onto the internal shoulder via the support assembly. The support assembly is simple and inexpensive. Further, the leading end of the second member is transversely moveable relative to the first member, thereby minimizing possible kinking of the first member.

A multi-layered balloon is provided where each layer is formed such that each layer is made from tubing that optimizes the inner wall stretch thus providing maximum balloon strength. The high pressure, multi-layer balloon is provided with layers that allow for slipping, such that the balloon has a very high pressure rating and toughness, yet excellent folding characteristics. Methods for producing such multi-layer balloons using existing balloon forming equipment are also provided. The multi-layer balloons can have alternating structural and lubricating layers, or layers with low-friction surfaces. The multi-layer balloons are preferably manufactured using a variety of methods including nesting, co-extrusion, or a combination of nesting and co-extrusion. The multi-layer balloons have balloon layers having substantially similar, or the same, high degree of biaxial orientation of their polymer molecules such that each balloon layer of the multi-layer balloon will fail at approximately the same applied pressure.

A device and method for dilating a Eustachian tube of a patient is disclosed. The device includes a guide catheter and a balloon dilation catheter. The balloon dilation catheter has an actuator that prevents injury to the middle ear. The balloon dilation catheter is slidably coupled with the guide catheter through the guide catheter lumen and is fully inserted into the guide catheter lumen when the distal side of the actuator is adjacent to the proximal end of the guide catheter. The method involves advancing the guide catheter and balloon dilation catheter through a nasal passage of the patient to dilate a portion of the Eustachian tube.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique by which, when producing a resin molded article using an insert member having low pressure resistance, molding can be easily performed, and deformation of the insert member can be suppressed. A method for producing a resin molded article of the present invention, the method includes the steps of disposing an insert member in a cavity of a mold; performing injection of molten resin into the cavity; terminating the injection on and after the molten resin reaches an overflow portion in the cavity and before the molten resin fills the overflow portion; and separating resin in the overflow portion.

A method may include accessing an artery in communication with an ophthalmic artery of a subject, and advancing a microcatheter along the accessed artery so as to align a distal end of the microcatheter with an ostium of the ophthalmic artery, wherein the microcatheter includes a lumen having a guidewire positioned therein. In addition, the method includes proximally withdrawing the guidewire relative to the microcatheter so as to enable a distal portion of the microcatheter to assume a curved relaxed configuration, and cannulating the ostium with the distal portion of the microcatheter when the distal portion is in the curved relaxed configuration.

One embodiment of the present invention discloses a balloon catheter employing a reinforced, co-axial, duel lumen design. In certain embodiments, at least one of the lumens is formed of a multilayer, tubular element in which one of the layers functions, in part, to provide radial reinforcement to the tubular element.

A balloon catheter is disclosed, which is capable of improving accuracy of an inspection result of a tube wall of an elongated member constituting a catheter shaft and achieving further improved product quality through the inspection, and a method of manufacturing an elongated member for a balloon catheter, which is used for the balloon catheter. In an outer tube of a balloon catheter, distal from a proximal end of a guide wire lumen is formed of a transparent material. From a distal end toward a proximal end, an inner tube of the balloon catheter has at least a first region and a second region, the second region being a transparent region that is more transparent than the first region.

A device for snugging a balloon of a catheter against an inner wall of an intra-corporeal lumen or surface serviced by the catheter includes a hollow column having a top end and a bottom end, forming a throughway sized to accommodate a tube of the catheter, and a flange extending from the bottom end of the hollow column generally perpendicularly to length of the hollow column. A slit is formed in the hollow column and the flange through which the hollow column is connectable to the tube of the catheter. The catheter is tugged to contact the balloon to the inner wall of the lumen, and the device is fixed to the tube of the catheter atop the skin of a body serviced by the catheter to tension pressure of the balloon against the inner wall.