Esophageal balloon catheter with visual marker

1. A balloon catheter fair use with an endoscope, comprising:

a flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; the shaft defining an inflation lumen;

a balloon defining an interior and being made of translucent balloon material which is substantially inelastic; the balloon having an inflatable portion extending between a proximal and distal balloon portion, each proximal and distal balloon portion being affixed to the catheter shaft; the balloon having at least one visual marker;

wherein the balloon is affixed to the catheter shaft near its distal end; and the inflatable portion includes a cylindrical working portion arranged between a proximal and distal tapering portion; the balloon in an initial configuration being deflated, pleated and wrapped around the catheter shaft;

wherein visual markers are positioned at a longitudinal center of the balloon and at proximal and distal ends of the cylindrical working portion of the balloon; and

wherein the central visual marker is thinner than the markers at the proximal and distal ends of the cylindrical working portion;

a hub affixed to the proximal end of the shaft and defining at least an inflation port; such that the inflation lumen communicates between the inflation port and the balloon;

wherein the visible marker is visible with an endoscope.

2. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein at least one visual marker is in the form of at least one circumferential line around the balloon.

3. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the visual marker is color-coded.

4. The balloon catheter of claim 3 , wherein the color of the visual marker indicates the nominal diameter size of the balloon, measured at rated burst pressure.

5. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the balloon at a position of the at least one visual marker is visible, when the balloon is deflated.

6. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein an inner surface of the balloon at a position of the at least one visual marker is visible through the proximal tapering portion, when the balloon is inflated.

7. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual marker is a combination marker, viewable with visible light and x-ray fluoroscopy.

8. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one visual marker is a combination marker, viewable with visible light and magnetic resonance imaging.

9. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the shaft further comprises an inner member and an outer tubular body; the outer body surrounding at least a portion of the inner member.

10. The balloon catheter of claim 9 , wherein the inner member is a wire having proximal and distal ends, the inner member distal end being affixed to the balloon distal portion, and the inner member proximal end being affixed to the hub.

11. The balloon catheter of claim 9 , wherein the outer body has at least one reinforcing member extending in a longitudinal direction.

12. The balloon catheter of claim 11 , wherein the reinforcing member has high tensile strength.

13. The balloon catheter of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcing member is a stainless steel wire affixed to or embedded within a wall of the outer body.

14. The balloon catheter of claim 1 , wherein the proximal and distal tapering portions each define an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, and the angle defined by the proximal tapering portion is steeper than the angle defined by the distal tapering portion.

15. The balloon catheter of claim 14 , wherein the angle defined by the distal tapering portion with respect to the longitudinal axis is approximately 45 degrees, and the angle defined by the proximal tapering portion is approximately 80 degrees.

16. The balloon catheter of claim 15 , wherein the proximal tapering portion angle is selected to be sufficiently steep that an endoscope positioned proximal of the balloon can view the at least one visual marker through the proximal tapering portion of the balloon.