To provide a balloon catheter and an apparatus and method for manufacturing the balloon catheter, whereby the degree of welding can be appropriately adjusted and the balloon catheter can be formed so as to have a desired surface profile suitable for various uses including medical use. With a shaft 14 inserted through a catheter tube 30a inserted into an end portion 28b of a balloon and also with a pressure tube 32a fitted around a welding section where the end portion 28b of the balloon 28 is lapped over the catheter tube 30a, the shaft 14 is heated by emitting laser light from a laser radiation unit 8 to the welding section while the shaft 14 is rotated by a chuck, to weld the welding section.

Balloon catheter comprises an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal section, a distal section, and an inflation lumen defined therein and a multilayer balloon on the distal section of the shaft comprising a first layer made of a first polymer material having a first Shore durometer hardness, a second layer made of a second polymer material having a second Shore durometer hardness greater than the first Shore durometer hardness, wherein the second layer is an inner layer relative to the first layer, and a third layer made of a third polymer material having a third Shore durometer hardness less the first Shore durometer hardness, wherein the third layer is an inner layer relative to the second layer. Method of making a balloon catheter is also provided.

A balloon guide catheter including a catheter shaft having a reflowable material outer layer. Secured without an adhesive to the catheter shaft is a balloon having a bond interface area with a plurality of punctures defined therein secured about the outer layer of the catheter shaft via seepage of the reflowable material of the outer layer into the plurality of punctures forming a radially outward reflow bond between the catheter shaft and the balloon. Along the bond interface area about the perimeter of the opening in the balloon, a single reflow jacket is secured to the balloon via seepage of the reflowable material of the single reflow jacket into the plural punctures of the balloon forming a radially inward reflow bond. The single reflow jacket is made of a reflowable material and has an opening defined therein aligned with the balloon.

A balloon guide catheter with a catheter shaft having an outer layer made of a reflowable material and a balloon having a bond interface area with a plurality of punctures defined therein secured about the outer layer of the catheter shaft via seepage of the reflowable material of the outer layer into the plurality of punctures forming a radially outward reflow bond between the catheter shaft and the balloon without the use of an adhesive. One or more reflow jackets made of a reflowable material may also be disposed about the bond interface area of the balloon seeping into the plural punctures forming a radially inward reflow bond.

A parison for being blow molded into a medical balloon for a catheter includes a first tubular layer having a functional modification and a second tubular layer adapted for bonding with the first tubular layer to form the blow molded balloon. Related methods are also disclosed.

A method for producing a balloon from a suitable blank is provided. The blank is introduced into an outer mold heated an first expanded to expand it against the inner wall of the outer mold. Pressure is reduced to relax the blank away from the inner wall. The three-dimensional volume of the mold is changed. Second expanding of the blank expands again against the inner wall of the changed volume of the outer mold. Balloons of the invention consist of a middle cylindrical region and two end regions delimiting the middle cylindrical region. With a pressure application of 6 bar, a ratio of the cross section in the middle region to the cross section in the end region is at least 2, and preferably greater than 3.

A method of crimping a stent is disclosed. The stent includes a minimum crimped diameter such that in the minimum crimped diameter, a pair of stent rings, between which marker support structures reside, do not make contact with the marker support structures. The crimped profile of the stent of the present invention can be as small as the crimped profile of a same stent but without the maker support structures.

A parison for being blow molded into a medical balloon for a catheter includes a first tubular layer having a functional modification and a second tubular layer adapted for bonding with the first tubular layer to form the blow molded balloon. Related methods are also disclosed.

A method for forming a balloon provides a preform that encloses an internal space. The preform is pre-heated to a shaping temperature by passing a heated gas or fluid via an inlet of the preform into the internal space. The preform is then shaped the preform into a balloon. A device is configured to heat a preform using heated gas or fluid to decouple heating from the temperature of a shaping tool.

A nested balloon is provided where each balloon is formed from tubing that optimizes the inner wall stretch thus providing maximum balloon strength. The high pressure, nested 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 nested balloons using existing balloon forming equipment are also provided. The nested balloons can have layers with low-friction surfaces. The nested balloons are preferably manufactured using a variety of methods, including pressurized constrained annealing.