Intravascular catheter having a cantilevered expandable incising portion

1. An intravascular catheter device comprising:

a catheter tube having a centerline;

an expandable portion secured to said catheter tube and comprising a plurality of linear struts each defining an outer surface, the expandable portion being operable between a closed position, wherein the expandable portion has a first diameter, and an opened position, wherein the expandable portion has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter and each of said struts extend at an angle from the centerline of the catheter tube;

a tip member supported for sliding movement along inner surfaces of the struts so as to pivot the struts between the closed position and the opened position;

an inner sleeve disposed within the catheter tube and attached to the tip member wherein said inner sleeve is supported for sliding movement within the catheter tube; and

an incising element extending along the outer surface of at least one of the struts, the incising element having a sharpened edge that extends parallel with a longitudinal axis of the expandable portion such that the sharpened edge is configured to create an incision in atherosclerotic material located within a blood vessel when the expandable portion is in the opened position and retracted axially through the blood vessel;

wherein the struts are supported in a cantilevered fashion on the expandable portion so as to be splayed open when in the opened position;

wherein each of the struts extend in a substantially linear fashion along substantially an entire length of the respective strut when the expandable portion is in the closed position;

wherein each of the struts extend along the outer surface of the inner sleeve when the expandable portion is in the closed position.

2. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 further comprising:

a handle assembly secured to an end of the catheter tube; and

a control member that is moveably supported on the handle assembly and in communication with the inner sleeve, wherein said control member is configured to selectively control movement of the expandable portion between the closed and the opened position.

3. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the struts are biased in the opened position.

4. The intravascular catheter device of claim 3 further comprising:

a protective sheath supported for sliding movement along an outer surface of the catheter tube to control movement of the expandable portion between the closed and the opened position.

5. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the struts are biased in the closed position.

6. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the sharpened edge extends outwardly in a radial direction from the outer surface of the at least one strut.

7. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the plurality of struts consists of two struts which surround the inner sleeve.

8. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the incising element extends beyond the distal end of the at least one strut.

9. The intravascular catheter device of claim 1 wherein:

the incising element provided on the outer surface of at least one of the struts extends along substantially the entire length of said at least one strut.

10. An intravascular catheter device comprising:

a catheter tube having a centerline;

an expandable portion secured to a distal end of said catheter tube comprising a plurality of linear struts each defining an outer surface, having a length, and being operable between a collapsed position, wherein the expandable portion has a first diameter and the struts extend parallel to the centerline of the catheter tube, and a splayed position, wherein the expandable portion has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter and each of said struts extend at an angle from the centerline of the catheter tube;

a tip member that is supported for sliding movement along inner surfaces of the struts so as to pivot the struts between the collapsed position and the splayed position;

an inner sleeve connected to the tip member and supported for sliding movement within the catheter tube;

a handle assembly secured to a proximal end of said catheter tube and comprising a locking mechanism for selectively securing the position of the tip member; and

an incising element comprising a linear member which extends along, and outwardly from, the entire length of the outer surface of at least one of the struts, wherein said incising element comprises a sharpened edge along an upper edge thereof that extends parallel with the longitudinal axis of the expandable portion such that the sharpened edge is configured to extend parallel with the longitudinal axis of a blood vessel for which said device is intended to treat, for creating an incision in atherosclerotic material located within a blood vessel when the expandable portion is in the splayed position and retracted axially through the blood vessel;

wherein the struts are supported in a cantilevered fashion on the expandable portion so as to be splayed open when in the splayed position;

wherein each of the struts extend in a substantially linear fashion along the entire length of the respective strut when the expandable portion is in the collapsed position;

wherein each of the struts extend along the outer surface of the inner sleeve when the expandable portion is in the collapsed position.

11. The intravascular catheter device of claim 10 wherein:

the incising element extends beyond the distal end of the at least one strut.

12. The intravascular catheter device of claim 10 wherein:

the handle assembly further comprises an indicator that identifies the relative position of the tip member.

13. The intravascular catheter device of claim 10 wherein:

the sharpened edge extends outwardly in a radial direction from the outer surface of the strut.

14. The intravascular catheter device of claim 10 wherein:

the struts are biased in the splayed position.

15. The intravascular catheter device of claim 14 further comprising:

a protective sheath capable of being disposed about the expandable portion when the expandable portion is in the collapsed position and wherein said protective sheath is supported for sliding movement along an outer surface of the catheter tube.

16. A method for incising atherosclerotic material in a zone of attention within a person's blood vessel comprising the steps of:

providing an intravascular device comprising a catheter tube having a centerline, an expandable portion secured to a distal end of said catheter tube comprising a plurality of linear struts supported in a cantilevered fashion on the expandable portion and each defining an outer surface and being operable between a closed position wherein the expandable portion has a first diameter and an opened position wherein the expandable portion has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter, a tip member that is supported for sliding movement along inner surfaces of the struts so as to pivot the struts between the closed position and the opened position, an inner sleeve connected to the tip member and supported for sliding movement within the catheter tube, and an incising element extending along the outer surface of at least one of the struts comprising a sharpened edge that extends parallel with the longitudinal axis of the expandable portion, wherein each of the struts extend in a substantially linear fashion along substantially an entire length of the respective strut when the expandable portion is in the closed position, and wherein each of the struts extend along the outer surface of the inner sleeve when the expandable portion is in the closed position;

locating the intravascular device at the zone of attention;

retracting the tip member, by way of the inner sleeve, so as to place the expandable portion in the opened position such that the each of the struts are splayed open and extend at an angle from the centerline of the catheter tube;

retracting the intravascular device axially along the zone of attention such that the atherosclerotic material is incised by the sharpened edges of the incising elements;

extending the tip member, by way of the inner sleeve, so as to place the expandable portion in the closed position; and

removing the intravascular device from the person.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

providing a protective sheath over the expandable portion;

removing the protective sheath; and

replacing the protective sheath.