A balloon catheter device designed to be especially well suited for use in providing medical treatment within a blood vessel, and a method for conducting such medical treatment are provided, wherein the balloon catheter has a central support tube or lumen, and has, near a distal end of the catheter, a plurality of inflatable balloon elements extending along the catheter in helical patterns, with the balloon elements spaced equidistantly around the central support tube. The catheter thus provides the ability to apply pressure, by way of the inflated balloon elements, to center the central support tube in the blood vessel, while at the same time preserving blood flow in the blood vessel past the catheter as well as in side branch blood vessels extending from the blood vessel under repair.
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