Medical balloon
A medical balloon for a balloon pump is disclosed. The medical balloon has a first end and a second end and a port at one of the ends for engaging a catheter for receiving an inflation fluid into the balloon. The balloon has one or more exterior walls defining, when the balloon is inflated at substantially a standard operating pressure, a taper along at least a part of the length of the balloon. The taper has two or more consecutive tapering sections, each tapering section having a different, substantially constant, angle of tapering. The balloon is substantially asymmetrical about a mid-point between the first and second ends when inflated.
1. A medical balloon for a balloon pump, the medical balloon comprising a single balloon having a first end and a second end and a port at one of the ends for engaging a catheter for receiving an inflation fluid into the balloon, the balloon having an exterior wall defining, when the balloon is inflated at substantially a standard operating pressure, a taper along at least a part of a length of the balloon, the taper having a first tapering section directly adjoined to a second tapering section, each of the first tapering section and the second tapering section having a different, substantially constant, angle of tapering, the balloon being substantially asymmetrical about a mid-point between the first and second ends when inflated.
2. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon is fully inflated at the standard operating pressure.
3. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the taper is a first taper and tapers along the length of the balloon towards one of the first or second ends, the balloon further comprising a second taper having one or more tapering sections that taper along the length of the balloon towards the other of the first or second ends.
4. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first taper expands towards its respective end and the second taper contracts towards its respective end.
5. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first taper contracts towards its respective end and the second taper expands towards its respective end.
6. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first and second tapers contract towards their respective ends.
7. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the first and second tapers expand towards their respective ends.
8. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , the exterior wall further defining, when the balloon is inflated at substantially a standard operating pressure, a substantially non-tapering section, the substantially non-tapering section being at least ⅓ the length of the balloon.
9. A medical balloon as claims in claim 1 , wherein the exterior wall thickness increases along at least a part of the length of the balloon.
10. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the exterior wall thickness increases towards the second end.
11. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon is adapted for preferential inflation from the first end to the second end.
12. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon comprises an elastic polymer.
13. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon comprises two or more portions, and wherein the two or more portions are formed from elastic polymers having different mechanical properties.
14. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon comprises a single chamber.
15. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the one or more septa include one or more one-way valves.
16. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the balloon comprises two or more chambers separated by one or more septa.
17. A medical balloon as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the one or more septa include one or more orifices.
18. An intra-aortic medical pumping balloon comprising a single balloon having a first end and a second end and a port at one of the ends to engage a catheter, wherein upon receiving an inflation fluid via the catheter to inflate the balloon to a standard operating pressure, an exterior wall of the balloon defining a taper along at least a part of a length of the balloon, the taper having a first tapering section directly adjoined to a second tapering section, each of the first tapering section and the second tapering section having a different, substantially constant, angle of tapering, the balloon being substantially asymmetrical about a mid-point between the first and second ends when inflated.