Integral dilation element for a balloon catheter

1. A balloon catheter, comprising:

a catheter shaft comprising an inflation lumen extending longitudinally therethrough;

a balloon mounted on a distal end of said catheter shaft, said balloon comprising an interior cavity in communication with said inflation lumen, said inflation lumen thereby being adapted to communicate an inflation media to inflate and deflate said balloon;

said balloon comprising an integral dilation element extending along a length of an outer surface of said balloon, said dilation element being defined by an area moment of inertia of about 0.0875 mm 4 to about 0.00045 mm 4 and a polar moment of inertia of about 0.175 mm 4 to about 0.0009 mm 4 .

2. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said area moment of inertia is about 0.0083 mm 4 to about 0.0008 mm 4 and said polar moment of inertia is about 0.0166 mm 4 to about 0.0016 mm 4 .

3. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said area moment of inertia is about 0.003125 mm 4 to about 0.0008 mm 4 and said polar moment of inertia is about 0.00625 mm 4 to about 0.0016 mm 4 .

4. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said balloon and said dilation element are made from a material comprising an elastic modulus of about 1,000 MPa to about 2,000 MPa.

5. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said dilation element and a wall forming said balloon are made from the same material.

6. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein an overall height of said dilation element is about 1.25 mm or less.

7. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said dilation element comprises a pointed tip.

8. The balloon catheter according to claim 7 , wherein said dilation element comprises a trizoid cross-section.

9. The balloon catheter according to claim 8 , wherein a bottom width of said tip is about 1.0 mm to about 0.25 mm.

10. The balloon catheter according to claim 7 , wherein said dilation element comprises a triangle cross-section.

11. The balloon catheter according to claim 10 , wherein said tip comprises a radius of about 0.010 mm to about 0.050 mm.

12. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said dilation element comprises a trapezoid cross-section with a flat tip.

13. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said dilation element extends along an entire working length of said balloon.

14. The balloon catheter according to claim 1 , wherein said area moment of inertia is about 0.0083 mm 4 to about 0.0008 mm 4 and said polar moment of inertia is about 0.0166 mm 4 to about 0.0016 mm 4 , said balloon and said dilation element are made from a material comprising an elastic modulus of about 1,000 MPa to about 2,000 MPa, and said dilation element and a wall forming said balloon are made from the same material.

15. The balloon catheter according to claim 14 , wherein an overall height of said dilation element is about 1.25 mm or less, and said dilation element extends along an entire working length of said balloon.

16. The balloon catheter according to claim 15 , wherein said dilation element comprises a pointed tip and a trizoid cross-section, a bottom width of said tip being about 1.0 mm to about 0.25 mm.

17. The balloon catheter according to claim 16 , wherein said area moment of inertia is about 0.003125 mm 4 to about 0.0008 mm 4 and said polar moment of inertia is about 0.00625 mm 4 to about 0.0016 mm 4 .

18. The balloon catheter according to claim 16 , wherein said tip comprises a radius of about 0.010 mm to about 0.050 mm, and said dilation element comprises a triangle cross-section.

19. The balloon catheter according to claim 15 , wherein said dilation element comprises a flat tip and a trapezoid cross-section.

20. A method of manufacturing a balloon catheter, comprising:

providing a tube comprising a generally circular wall surrounding a central lumen and a protrusion integrally attached to an outer surface of said circular wall and extending along a length thereof, said protrusion being defined by an area moment of inertia of about 0.70 mm 4 to about 0.0035 mm 4 and a polar moment of inertia of about 0.35 mm 4 to about 0.007 mm 4 ;

expanding said tube inside of a mold by heating said tube and pressurizing said central lumen, said mold comprising longitudinal grooves to receive said protrusions, said tube forming a balloon and said protrusion forming a dilation element after said expanding, wherein said dilation element is defined by an area moment of inertia of about 0.0875 mm 4 to about 0.00045 mm 4 and a polar moment of inertia of about 0.175 mm 4 to about 0.0009 mm 4 ;

bonding said balloon to a catheter shaft, an inflation lumen being in communication with an interior cavity of said balloon to inflate and deflate said balloon.