Balloon catheter and method of actuating balloon catheter
The balloon catheter includes a shaft to be inserted into a body, a balloon that is attached to a distal end side of the shaft and expandable by a fluid supplied from a proximal end side of the shaft, and an electrode pair that is formed on a surface of the balloon along an axial direction from the proximal end side toward the distal end side. Widths in a circumferential direction of respective band-shaped electrodes are greater than a width of an electrode clearance that separates the respective band-shaped electrodes in the circumferential direction in the electrode pair. A plurality of the electrode pairs are formed on the surface of the balloon. A width of an electrode pair clearance that separates the respective electrode pairs, in the circumferential direction is greater than the width of the electrode clearance.
1 . A balloon catheter, comprising:
a shaft to be inserted into a body;
a balloon attached to a distal end side of the shaft and expandable by a fluid supplied from a proximal end side of the shaft;
an electrode pair formed on a surface of the balloon along an axial direction from the proximal end side toward the distal end side, widths in a circumferential direction of respective electrodes being greater than a width of an electrode clearance that separates the respective electrodes in the circumferential direction in the electrode pair; and
a peripheral electrode that directly contacts the respective electrodes in the circumferential direction in at least any of a distal end portion where the balloon is attached to the shaft and a proximal end portion;
wherein a plurality of the electrode pairs are formed on the surface of the balloon, and a width of an electrode pair clearance that separates the respective electrode pairs in the circumferential direction is greater than the width of the electrode clearance,
wherein the each electrode is a band-shaped electrode, and
wherein the length of the band-shaped electrode along the axial direction is larger than the width of the band-shaped electrode along the circumferential direction.
2 . The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the balloon before expansion is folded, and a fold of the balloon is formed in each of the electrode clearances.
3 . The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the balloon before expansion is folded, and a fold of the balloon is formed in the electrode pair clearance.
4 . The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the balloon before expansion is folded, and a fold of the balloon is not formed in each of the electrodes.
5 . The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , further comprising an interpolation electrode formed along the axial direction in the electrode pair clearance.
6 . The balloon catheter according to claim 5 , wherein the balloon before expansion is folded, and a fold of the balloon is formed in a clearance that separates the interpolation electrode and each of the electrode pairs in the circumferential direction.
7 . The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the balloon includes both end portions attached to the shaft and an intermediate portion that couples both the end portions in the axial direction, and
wherein a width of each of the electrodes in at least any of end portions among both the end portions decreases in a direction from the intermediate portion toward the end portion.
8 . A method of actuating the balloon catheter according to claim 1 , comprising:
expanding the balloon that is attached to the distal end side of the shaft and folded such that a fold is not formed on the plurality of electrodes formed along the axial direction from the proximal end side toward the distal end side on the surface of the balloon by the fluid.