Balloon catheter with kink resistant distal segment
A rapid exchange balloon catheter has a kink resistant distal catheter segment just proximal of the balloon with a kink resisting member to provide pushability and kink resistance while maintaining flexibility. The kink resistant distal segment allows the rapid exchange guidewire tube to be shortened for a more rapid guidewire exchange.
1 . A balloon catheter comprising:
a balloon segment having an expandable balloon and a guidewire tube extending through the balloon, the guidewire tube having a proximal port adjacent a proximal end of the balloon;
a distal segment connected to a proximal end of the balloon segment and having an inflation lumen and a kink resisting member extending along the length of the distal segment; and
a proximal segment having flexibility which is less than a flexibility of the distal segment, the proximal segment connected to a proximal end of the distal segment with the kink resisting member extending into or fixed to the proximal segment.
2 . The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the kink resisting member includes a core wire which is free floating in the inflation lumen.
3 . The balloon catheter of claim 2 , wherein the kink resisting member is retained at a distal end by a sleeve.
4 . The balloon catheter of claim 2 , wherein the kink resisting member includes an extruded member over the kink resisting member.
5 . The balloon catheter of claim 4 , wherein the extruded member is extruded with an outer tube of the distal segment.
6 . The balloon catheter of claim 4 , wherein the extruded member is inserted into an outer tube of the distal segment.
7 . The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the balloon segment is fused to the distal segment at a junction area adjacent the proximal port of the guidewire tube.
8 . The balloon catheter of claim 7 , wherein the guidewire tube is a separate tube from the distal segment and is joined to the balloon and the distal segment at the junction area.
9 . A rapid exchange catheter system comprising:
a balloon catheter comprising:
a balloon segment having an expandable balloon and a guidewire tube extending through the balloon, the guidewire tube having a proximal port adjacent a proximal end of the balloon;
a distal segment connected to a proximal end of the balloon segment and having an inflation lumen and a kink resisting member extending along the length of the distal segment; and
a proximal segment having flexibility which is less than a flexibility of the distal segment, the proximal segment connected to a proximal end of the distal segment with the kink resisting member extending into or fixed to the proximal segment wherein the balloon segment is fused to the distal segment at a junction area adjacent the proximal port of the guidewire tube; and
a guidewire slidably positioned in the guidewire tube.
10 . The balloon catheter of claim 9 , wherein the kink resisting member includes a core wire which is free floating in the inflation lumen.
11 . The balloon catheter of claim 10 , wherein the kink resisting member is retained at a distal end by a sleeve.
12 . The balloon catheter of claim 10 , wherein the kink resisting member includes an extruded member over the kink resisting member.
13 . The balloon catheter of claim 12 , wherein the extruded member is extruded with an outer tube of the distal segment.
14 . The balloon catheter of claim 12 , wherein the extruded member is inserted into an outer tube of the distal segment.
15 . The balloon catheter of claim 9 , wherein the guidewire tube is a separate tube from the distal segment and is joined to the balloon and the distal segment at the junction area.