Catheter guidance through a calcified aortic valve

Abstract

A method of treating a patient with a calcified aortic valve includes introducing a guide wire into a blood vessel. The guide wire is advanced through the aorta to the aortic valve and then through the aortic valve. A balloon dilatation catheter is introduced into the blood vessel over the guide wire. The balloon dilatation catheter includes an elongate body, a distal portion, a guide wire lumen, an inflation lumen, and a dilatation balloon. The balloon dilatation catheter further includes at least one deflection wire lumen, and at least one deflection wire residing in the at least one deflection wire lumen and having a distal end attached to the distal portion. The balloon dilatation catheter is advanced over the guide wire through the aorta, through the aortic valve, and the dilatation balloon is inflated.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A balloon dilatation catheter comprising:
 an elongate body comprising a guide wire lumen, an inflation lumen, and a plurality of deflection wires separate from the inflation lumen, wherein a distal end of each deflection wire is attached to a distal portion of the elongate body; and   a dilatation balloon on a distal portion of the balloon dilatation catheter that is distal the distal portion where the deflection wire is attached.   
     
     
         4 . The balloon dilatation catheter of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of deflection wires are spaced approximately evenly around the elongate body. 
     
     
         5 . The balloon dilatation catheter of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of deflection wires reside in a plurality of deflection wire lumen. 
     
     
         6 . The balloon dilatation catheter of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of deflection wires has a distal end attached to the distal portion of the balloon dilatation catheter.