The present disclosure describes implantable medical devices comprising covers, such as a balloon cover. Such devices can comprise a first layer of a porous polymeric material, such as ePTFE, surrounded by layers of a porous polymeric material having an imbibed elastomer, such as polyurethane. The cover can be used to assist in deployment of an expandable implant, such as a stent-graft, within the body of the patient.

Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed that help deliver catheters or other medical devices to locations within a patient's body. The device includes a transporter catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, at least a first balloon located adjacent to the distal end, and at least a second balloon located between the first balloon and the proximal end of the transporter catheter. The first balloon is configured for holding a prosthetic device in place. In another embodiment, the transporter catheter has a third balloon, an orienting balloon, substantially at the tip of the distal end of the transporter catheter.

The present disclosure is directed toward a semi-compliant to non-compliant, conformable balloon useful in medical applications. Conformable balloons of the present disclosure exhibit a low straightening force when in a curved configuration and at inflation pressures greater than 4 atm. Balloons of the present disclosure are constructed of material that can compress along an inner length when the balloon is in a curved configuration. In further embodiments, balloons of the present disclosure can be constructed of material that sufficiently elongates along an outer arc when the balloon is in a curved configuration. As a result, medical balloons, in accordance with the present disclosure, when inflated in a curved configuration, exhibit kink-free configurations and do not cause a significant degree of vessel straightening.

A balloon comprising: a center portion having a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a length between the proximal end and the distal end. The center portion comprises: a first nominal diameter and a first radial modulus at the proximal end; a second nominal diameter and a second radial modulus at the distal end; further wherein, the first nominal diameter is equal to the second nominal diameter, such that, when the balloon is inflated to a nominal pressure, the center portion has a constant diameter over the length; and further wherein, the first radial modulus is smaller than the second radial modulus, such that, when the balloon is inflated above a nominal pressure, the center portion adopts a tapered shape in which the proximal end has a first stretched diameter and the distal end has a second stretched diameter, the first stretched diameter being larger than the second stretched diameter.

A catheter is provided for both crossing a lesion, such as a chronic total occlusion, in a vessel and performing percutaneous transluminal angioplasty thereupon. The catheter includes a shaft having a tapered tip adapted for being pushed into the lesion to advance through the lesion. An inflatable balloon is mounted on the shaft, which may be braided to provide enhanced pushability and kink-resistance. The inflatable balloon includes a proximal portion and a distal tapered portion connected to the tapered tip, and having a shallow taper. The taper of the distal tapered portion and the tapered tip may together create a continuous sloping transition from a distal end of the distal tapered portion to an adjacent portion of the tapered tip to facilitate crossing a lesion. The balloon may also be selectively inflated or deflated during crossing of the lesion, and ultimately used to compact the lesion when inflated.

[Object]

Provided is a catheter that can enhance the smoothness of a lumen.

Solution

A balloon catheter includes: an outer shaft to be inserted into a body, the outer shaft including a main lumen that extends in an axial direction from a proximal end side toward a distal end side; and a second member exposed in a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the outer shaft to the main lumen and having frictional properties lower than those of a first member (an inner shaft) that forms the inner circumferential surface of the outer shaft. The balloon catheter further includes sub-shafts that include sub-lumens extending in the axial direction and that are formed of the second member, and a portion of outer circumferential surfaces of the sub-shafts is exposed in a portion of the inner circumferential surface of the outer shaft to the main lumen.

Disclosed herein are medical instrument and medical method for localized drug delivery. The medical instrument can comprise a catheter shaft assembly, a hub coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft assembly, an inflatable component at the distal end of the catheter shaft assembly, a tissue penetrating member coupled to the inflatable component in an orientation transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft assembly, and at least one protective element coupled to the inflatable component in proximity to the tissue penetrating member. The protective element can be configured to prevent any damage of the inflatable body during a placement of the medical instrument and an actuation of the inflatable component.

Inflatable devices are disclosed including a surface which has a network of polymer chains and is configured to be inflatable into a therapeutically or diagnostically useful shape, and at least one ultrashort laser pulse-formed modification in the surface. The network can, for example, include a network morphology that is substantially unchanged by modification with the ultrashort pulse laser. Ultrashort laser pulses can be laser pulses equal to or less than 1000 picoseconds in duration. Advantageously, the etching process uses a relatively low-heat laser to avoid significant heating of surrounding polymers while modifying the surface (and other structures) of the device. The process is configured so that the polymer chain morphology adjacent the modification is substantially unaffected by the low-heat laser. The resulting inflatable device has customized surface features while still retaining substantially homogenous polymer network morphology. This preserves the elasticity, especially the surface elasticity, of the inflatable device.

A balloon catheter includes a balloon extending in an axial direction (z). The balloon includes an expandable balloon wall that extends around the balloon in a circumferential direction (U) and surrounds a balloon interior space of the balloon. The balloon interior space is configured to be filled with a fluid inflation medium. A capacitive sensor is configured to measure a diameter (D) extending in a radial direction (R) of the balloon. The sensor includes a capacitor having two planar and expandable electrodes arranged on the balloon wall.

A catheter is provided comprising a flexible heat transfer element provided on an outer surface of the catheter, a conduit arranged to supply an inflation fluid for inflating the flexible heat transfer element so as to form an inflated balloon, a guide wire lumen for receiving a guide wire, and an elongate cooling element arranged to cool said inflation fluid for inflating the balloon. Said cooling element and said guide wire lumen are arranged inside the flexible heat transfer element such that, when inflated the cooling element is substantially central within the balloon and said guide wire lumen is parallel to and radially offset from the cooling element.