A balloon catheter which allows for faster preparation and effective purging of air. The balloon catheter includes an elongated, flexible catheter having an inner lumen. A balloon member is secured to an outer surface of a distal portion of the catheter such that an inner surface of the balloon member and an outer surface of the catheter define an inflatable balloon interior. The catheter has an inflation lumen connected to an inflation port and extending distally to a distal end in fluid communication with the inflatable balloon interior. One or more purge apertures are provided in a wall of the catheter, each forming a fluid path between the inflatable balloon interior and the inner lumen of the catheter to allow for purging air from the catheter prior to use in a medical procedure.

A device for introduction into a body vessel includes a main elongated element, a balloon positioned at the main elongated element distal end, a distal connecting element positioned at the distal end of the balloon to receive a guidewire during use, and a longitudinally movable sheath positioned external to the main elongated element, a position of the sheath distal end with respect to the balloon defining an exposed portion of the balloon that expands when fluid is delivered to the balloon through the inflation lumen.

A mitral cerclage annuloplasty apparatus comprising of a catheter with a blocking member and a capturing member. The blocking member is in the shape of a pigtail or a balloon, and is configured on the distal portion of the catheter preventing the catheter from traversing through an unsafe zone thereby enabling the catheter to pass through the safe zone. This prevents damage to critical cardiac tissues. The capturing member is adapted for pulling out a RVOT cerclage wire into the IVC, and comprises of an expandable and collapsible mesh so that the RVOT cerclage wire is captured and directed into the WC through the safe zone. Thus the RVOT cerclage wire is passed through the RV without damaging the heart tissue forming a complete circle around the mitral valvular annulus.

Treating a treatment area in the vasculature includes a first catheter adapted for positioning at the treatment area, said first catheter including a first balloon having a transient radiopaque material corresponding to the treatment area. A second catheter adapted for positioning at a treatment area includes a treatment that substantially matches the transient radiopaque material, preferably so that the length and/or position of the treatment corresponds to the length and/or position of the transient radiopaque material. Related kits, assemblies, and methods are also described.

A system and method for a stent delivery system, the delivery system having a catheter and a balloon coupled to a distal portion of the catheter. The catheter with the radially expandable member is inserted into a cavity in a mold. Heat and pressure are applied for a period of time which inflates the balloon and imparts a shape memory to a portion of the balloon. The balloon is removed from the cavity of the mold with a shape memory.

Disclosed herein is a drug-coated balloon catheter including: a hub; a soft tip; a tube which connects the hub and the soft tip and is formed of a material having higher rigidity than the soft tip; and a balloon which is mounted on the tube and coated with a drug on the surface, wherein the tube includes: a guide lumen which allows a guide wire to be movable, the guide wire being inserted into a blood vessel via the hub; and an injection lumen into which a contrast medium is injected, the contrast medium being injected into the balloon through the hub or discharged therefrom, wherein the injection lumen includes: a flow center which is a portion corresponding to a width of the guide lumen; and a pair of bend supports which is extended beyond both end portions of the guide lumen on both sides of the flow center and deformed in response to bending of the tube, and the injection lumen has a cross-sectional area more than a half of a cross-sectional area of the guide lumen.

Methods for crimping a stent on an expandable member of a delivery catheter, and devices and methods for treating a bifurcation are disclosed. A method for crimping includes positioning a stent having a first portion and a second portion over the expandable member, and non-uniformly crimping the stent to the expandable member. The method can include routing an elongate shaft under the second portion of the stent and through the side hole so as to be routed external to the first portion. The stent second portion can be crimped so that the elongate shaft can be slidably disposed relative to the stent second portion prior to deployment of the stent.

A balloon catheter includes a catheter (1) and a balloon body (2) sleeved on the catheter (1). The balloon body (2) includes an inner layer balloon (21) and an outer layer balloon (22). The inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22) are both directly wrapped and fixed on the catheter (1). The inner layer balloon (21) is located inside the outer layer balloon (22). A medium channel (23) is formed between the inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22). An outer layer medium inlet hole (11) and a medium backflow hole (12) both in communication with the medium channel (23) are provided in the catheter (1). In the balloon catheter, the double-layer balloon body (2) is provided, so that a medium can flow in the medium channel (23) between the inner layer balloon (21) and the outer layer balloon (22), the medium flows into the medium channel (23) through the outer layer medium inlet hole (11), and then the medium in the medium channel (23) flows out through the medium backflow hole (12) to implement circulation. In this way, more medium can exchange heat on the inner surface of the outer layer balloon (22) and the flow rate distribution is relatively uniform, to increase the flowing quality of the medium on the surface of the balloon body, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency.

A balloon catheter comprises an elongated, tubular shaft extending in a longitudinal direction, said shaft having a proximal end and a distal end. An inflatable balloon is supported along the distal end of the shaft, the balloon when inflated including a generally cylindrical barrel section forming a working surface, and generally conical end sections that do not form a part of the working surface. The balloon further includes at least one radiopaque identifier for indicating the relative position of the working surface, said identifier being provided on at least one of the conical end sections of the balloon so as to define the extent of the working surface. Related aspects are also disclosed.

The disclosure provides for a device and method for dilation. The dilation device may include a catheter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a dilation expandable body in fluid communication with a first opening on the distal portion of the catheter body, and an occlusion anchor expandable body in fluid communication with a second opening on the distal portion of the catheter body. The method for dilating a stricture site may include inserting the dilation device into a stricture site of a patient, expanding the occlusion anchor expandable body at the stricture site, and expanding the dilation expandable body at the stricture site.