MICRODILATATION PROBE AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING ANGIOPLASTY IN HIGHLY STENOSED BLOOD VESSELS

摘要

MICRODILATATION PROBE AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMINGANGIOPLASTY IN HIGHLY STENOSED BLOOD VESSELSABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA balloon angioplasty system includes a balloondilatation catheter having an inflation anddeflation lumen for the balloon and a main lumenextending the full length of the catheter to providefluid communication from the proximal to the distalend of the catheter. A microdilatation probe has asmall diameter and can be passed through the mainlumen of the dilatation catheter. Themicrodilatation probe has a balloon at its distalend which is collapsible to enable it to be passedthrough the main lumen of the dilatation catheter sothat it can be projected distally beyond the distaltip of the dilatation catheter. The probe balloonis inflatable to a diameter no smaller than thediameter of the uninflated dilatation catheter. Theprobe and dilatation catheter are constructed sothat fluid communication is maintained through themain lumen of the dilatation catheter while themicrodilatation probe extends through the catheterthereby enabling liquids to be infused and pressuremeasurements to be taken while the probe is inplace. The probe may include a distal tip which canhold a preset curve. The probe is sufficientlyrigid to enable the transmission of torque to thedistal end to permit steering of the probe bycontrollably rotating the proximal end of the probe.In use, a stenosis which cannot be crossed bythe dilatation catheter may be enlarged sufficientlyto permit passage of the dilatation catheter byfirst projecting the dilatation probe into thestenosis, then inflating the probe balloon toenlarge the lumen of the stenosis sufficiently tothereafter receive the dilatation catheter.