Patent attributes
A convertible balloon catheter for use as either an over-the-wire catheter or a rapid exchange catheter, comprising a flexible outer shaft, flexible inner shaft, angioplasty balloon, and bifurcate hub. The inner shaft is comprised of a relatively elastic, deformable material and forms an inflation lumen. The inner inflation shaft is attached to the outer shaft, and has a cross section that is radially collapsible to increase the size of a full-length guide wire lumen formed between an outer surface of the inner shaft and an inner surface of the outer shaft. Formed in the outer shaft is a hatch, which covers a guide wire port. The hatch has a perforated peripheral edge which allows the hatch to be removed. The balloon is simply constructed with essentially four components, which significantly reduces the labor required for assembly.
