Cardiac catheterization is conducted using a probe having a balloon assembly, in which a spring has a resting axially elongated configuration and a torsed, axially shortened configuration. A balloon is twisted about the spring and mechanically linked to the spring. A flexible sheath is disposed about the spring within the balloon, the sheath and the wall of the balloon defining a chamber to contain a fluid flowing therein and thereout of the balloon.

A catheter includes an elongated body and an expandable member configured to expand radially outward away from the elongated body from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. The catheter further includes a retainer configured to overlap an end of the expandable member to hold the expandable member in the collapsed configuration. The expandable member may be configured to engage with a vessel wall when the expandable member is in the expanded configuration. The vessel may curve and the expandable member may be configured to deflect a portion of the elongated body distal to the expandable member when the expandable member is engaged with the vessel wall to better conform the shape of the elongated body to the curved portion of the vessel.

A dialysis catheter is provided. A first lumen extends through a first tubular member from a proximal portion to a distal portion, and a first orifice at the distal portion provides an opening through the first tubular member to the first lumen. The first tubular member further includes an inflation lumen extending longitudinally at least partially through a length of the first tubular member. A balloon is operably connected to an outer surface of the first tubular member proximal to the first opening, is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen. A second tubular member has a proximal portion connected to the outer surface of the first tubular member. A distal portion of the second tubular member is connected to the balloon wall. A second lumen extends through the second tubular member, and a second orifice provides an opening through the second tubular member at the distal portion.

A medical instrument includes a shaft, a distal-end assembly and a puller-wire. The shaft is configured for insertion into a body of a patient. The distal-end assembly, which is coupled to the shaft, includes a telescopic assembly, configured to elongate so as to collapse the distal-end assembly, and to compress so as to expand the distal-end assembly. The distal-end assembly further includes an elastic element, coupled to self-elongate and thus elongate the telescopic assembly. The distal-end assembly also includes an inflatable balloon, which is coupled to the telescopic assembly and is configured to collapse by the telescopic assembly elongating, and to expand by the telescopic assembly compressing. The puller-wire runs through the shaft and is connected to a distal end of the telescopic assembly, and is configured, when pulled, to compress the telescopic assembly.

A balloon catheter for treating elongate diseased vessels with a variable diameter, comprising a pre-stretched balloon and a catheter shaft, which forms a wire lumen embodied to guide a guide wire and forms a liquid lumen by which a liquid can be fed to the balloon. The balloon is fastened to a first catheter shaft element at a first, proximal fastening site and fastened to a second catheter shaft element at a second, distal fastening site, wherein the second fastening site is movable along a longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft in relation to the first fastening site. The balloon surrounds a section of the catheter shaft which extends between the first and second fastening sites. Here, the section of the catheter shaft surrounded by the balloon encloses different regions of the catheter shaft with a changing longitudinal extent of the balloon.

a dilatable balloon catheter, comprising: a guide wire inserted and disposed in the inside of the catheter, an operation portion is fixedly connected to one end of the catheter, a balloon is disposed at the outer side of the catheter remote from the operation portion, the lumen of the catheter and the inner cavity of the balloon are connected by a communication structure provided on the catheter, the guide wire includes a first guide wire and a second guide wire which are separated from each other, the rear end of the first guide wire is connected to insertion-extraction structure in the rear end of the operation portion, the second guide wire is fixed to the inside of the catheter by a fixing process. The guide wire of the dilatable balloon catheter and the liquid injection lumen can share the same lumen, greatly reducing the diameter of the catheter in the present invention, so that the dilatable balloon catheter can be inserted into a narrow duct or lumen that needs to be expanded in human body through an device channel of an endoscope, and realize visualization operation.

An intravascular balloon catheter device for treating various size stenosed regions within a blood vessel is provided. A clamp located within a body of a handle assembly is movable between a clamped and unclamped position by way of a button. When clamped, an outer member is secured relative to a sheath to as to expose a portion of a balloon located on a distal end of the outer member. The portion of the balloon remaining within the sheath is restricted from inflation beyond the sheath.

An everting catheter with an expandable inner lumen for the passage of instruments or other devices is described. The catheter can have an inflatable everting balloon. When inflated, the everting balloon can define a channel or passageway, via an inner balloon lumen, into a target site. Instruments can be delivered to the target site through the channel defined by the inflated everting balloon.

A medical probe includes a shaft, an expandable membrane and a probe maneuvering assembly (PMA). The shaft is configured for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The PMA is located inside the expandable membrane and includes a first elastic element, which is fitted along a longitudinal axis of the PMA and is configured to expand the membrane by shortening the PMA, and to collapse the membrane by elongating the PMA. The PMA further includes a second elastic element, which surrounds at least a portion of the first elastic element and is configured to deflect the membrane relative to the longitudinal axis.

An everting balloon system is disclosed that can be used for biopsy within a body of a patient or animal. The everting balloon system can be used to access a bodily cavity or vessel for tissue specimen collection at specific bodily locations. The everting catheter system described simplifies the process of tissue biopsy.