Medical Device Balloons Containing Thermoplastic Elastomers

Abstract

A dilatation balloon, the dilatation balloon having a multilayer structure wherein the multilayer structure comprises a thermoplastic elastomer coextruded with a non-compliant structural polymer, the thermoplastic elastomer as an outer layer and the non-compliant structural material is an inner layer.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A dilatation balloon, the dilatation balloon comprising a multilayer structure wherein said multilayer structure comprises:
 a thermoplastic elastomer coextruded with a non-compliant structural polymer, said thermoplastic elastomer as an outer layer and said non-compliant structural material is an inner layer, the thermoplastic elastomer outer layer is thinner than the non-compliant structural material inner layer.   
     
     
         16 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer is polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         17 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 16  wherein said polyethylene terephthalate is biaxially oriented. 
     
     
         18 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer is nylon. 
     
     
         19 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyamide elastomer. 
     
     
         20 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyester elastomer. 
     
     
         21 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is a block copolymer of polyether glycol and polybutylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         22 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said inner layer is about 0.2-1.5 mil think. 
     
     
         23 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said outer layer is about 0.2-0.5 mil thick. 
     
     
         24 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said inner layer is coextensive with said outer layer. 
     
     
         25 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  further comprising at least one additional layer comprising a non-compliant structural polymer material, the at least one additional layer is an intermediate layer. 
     
     
         26 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer material of the inner layer is different than the non-compliant structural polymer material of the intermediate layer. 
     
     
         27 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer material is a blend of two or more structural polymers, a blend of a structural polymer with a minor amount of another polymer or a blend of a structural polymer with a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         28 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  further comprising an adhesive layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         29 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 15  wherein said adhesive layer comprises a blend of said thermoplastic elastomer and said non-compliant structural polymer. 
     
     
         30 . A dilatation balloon, the dilatation balloon comprising a multilayer structure, the multilayer structure comprising:
 a thermoplastic elastomer coextruded with a non-compliant structural polymeric material, the thermoplastic elastomer as both an inner thermoplastic elastomer layer and an outer thermoplastic elastomer layer disposed upon an intermediate structural layer of the non-compliant structural polymeric material.   
     
     
         31 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 30  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer is polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         32 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 30  wherein said non-compliant structural polymer is nylon. 
     
     
         33 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 30  wherein said thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyamide elastomer. 
     
     
         34 . The dilatation balloon of  claim 30  wherein said inner layer and said outer layer are coextensive with said intermediate layer.