Balloon ctheter having external guidewire

Abstract

A catheter having an elongated shaft with an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen, a balloon on a distal shaft section, and a proximal intermediate port proximal to the balloon and a distal intermediate port distal to the balloon, the intermediate ports being in communication with the guidewire lumen and being configured to slidably receive a guidewire therethrough so that the guidewire extends into or out of a proximal section of the guidewire lumen through the proximal intermediate port, extends along an outer surface of the balloon, and extends into or out of a distal section of the guidewire lumen through the distal intermediate port. The balloon is inflated in a patient's blood vessel to perform a medical procedure, with the section of the guidewire extending along an outer surface of the balloon providing improved balloon retention at the desired location in the blood vessel during inflation of the balloon.

1 - 23 . (canceled)  
   
   
       24 . A method of performing a medical procedure in a patient's body lumen, comprising: 
 a) advancing a balloon catheter within a patient's body lumen to a desired position of a stenosed section of the body lumen, the balloon catheter having an elongated shaft with an inflation lumen, and a guidewire lumen in communication with a guidewire proximal port and a guidewire distal port, and having a balloon on a distal shaft section, with a proximal end, a distal end, and an interior in fluid communication with the inflation lumen, and having a proximal intermediate port proximal to the balloon and distal to the guidewire proximal port, and a distal intermediate port distal to the balloon and proximal to the guidewire distal port, the intermediate ports being in communication with the guidewire lumen and being configured to slidably receive a guidewire therethrough, with a guidewire in the guidewire lumen proximal and distal to the balloon, the guidewire extending through the proximal and distal intermediate ports so that a section of the guidewire extends along an outer surface of the balloon; and    b) positioning the balloon so that a working length of the balloon extends along the stenosed section of the body lumen, and inflating the balloon so that the section of the guidewire along the outer surface of the balloon contacts the stenosed section of a wall defining the body lumen during inflation of the balloon.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the balloon dilates the stenosed section of the body lumen during b), with the section of the guidewire along the outer surface of the balloon in contact with the body lumen frictionally engaging the body lumen wall.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the balloon inflates into contact with the body lumen wall with an insubstantial amount of longitudinal slippage proximally or distally from the desired position in the body lumen.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein a portion of the tubular shaft and a support member extend in the balloon interior, and b) comprises inflating the balloon without substantial bowing of the balloon.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the balloon outer surface has an exposed section in a noninflated configuration prior to being inflated to an inflated configuration, and the section of the guidewire extending along the outer surface of the balloon extends along the outer surface exposed section of the balloon in the noninflated configuration, and inflating the balloon comprises directing inflation fluid into the balloon interior.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the balloon has a noninflated folded configuration prior to being inflated to an inflated configuration, the outer surface of the balloon having an exposed first section and an unexposed second section in the folded configuration, and the inflated configuration exposes both the first and second sections of the balloon outer surface, and the section of the guidewire extending along the outer surface of the balloon extends at least in part along the outer surface unexposed section of the balloon in the folded configuration, and inflating the balloon exposes the section of the guidewire extending along the outer surface of the balloon as the balloon unfolds.