Cutting balloon catheter having flexible atherotomes

1. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the catheter shaft, the balloon being configured to shift between a fully collapsed configuration and a fully expanded configuration;

one or more flexible joining members coupled to the balloon; and

one or more cutting members coupled to the joining members, wherein at least one of the cutting members is formed from a single, continuous blade that includes a cutting surface and a base, wherein a slot is formed in the cutting surface, and wherein at least a portion of the slot is embedded within the joining member when the balloon is in the fully expanded configuration and the remainder of the cutting surface is free from contact with the joining member when the balloon is in the fully collapsed configuration;

wherein the cutting surface has a length greater than a width of the slot.

2. The cutting balloon of claim 1 , wherein the joining members include a polymeric material.

3. The cutting balloon of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface includes a second slot.

4. The cutting balloon of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the cutting members includes a plurality of tabs defined along the base, at least some of the tabs having a splayed pillar-like shape.

5. A cutting balloon catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter shaft;

a balloon coupled to the shaft, the balloon being configured to shift between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;

one or more atherotomes coupled to the balloon by a flexible joining member; and

means for increasing the flexibility of the atherotomes, wherein at least one of the atherotomes is formed from a single, continuous blade that includes a cutting surface, wherein the means for increasing the flexibility of the atherotomes includes one or more slots formed in the cutting surface, and wherein at least a portion of the one or more slots is embedded within the joining member and the remainder of the cutting surface is free from contact with the joining member when the balloon is in the collapsed configuration;

wherein the one or more slots have a width less than a length of the cutting surface.

6. The cutting balloon catheter of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the atherotomes includes a plurality of tabs embedded within the joining member, at least some of the tabs having an inverted T shape.

7. A method of using a cutting balloon catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing a cutting balloon catheter, the cutting balloon catheter including an elongate catheter shaft, a balloon configured to shift between a collapsed configuration and a fully expanded configuration coupled to shaft, one or more flexible cutting members coupled to the balloon by a joining member, wherein at least one of the cutting members is formed from a single, continuous blade that includes a slot formed in a cutting surface thereof, the slot having a width less than a length of the cutting surface, wherein at least a portion of the slot is embedded within the joining member when the balloon is in the fully expanded configuration and the remainder of the cutting surface is free from contact with the joining member when the balloon is in the collapsed configuration;

advancing the cutting balloon catheter through a blood vessel to a position adjacent an area of interest;

inflating the balloon, whereby the balloon and the cutting members engage the area of interest;

deflating the balloon; and

withdrawing the cutting balloon catheter from the blood vessel.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the cutting members includes a plurality of tabs embedded within the joining member, at least some of the tabs having a splayed pillar-like shape.