US5209727A — Guide wire with integral angioplasty balloon

Claim 1

Independent Claim 108 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises; a fluid inflatable means; a hollow tubular guide wire attached to said inflatable means with an open end of said hollow tubular guide wire in fluid communication with said inflatable means; a guide extension fixedly attached to said inflatable means interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; and an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 108 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises; a fluid inflatable means; a hollow tubular guide wire attached to said inflatable means with an open end of said hollow tubular guide wire in fluid communication with said inflatable means; a guide extension fixedly attached to said inflatable means interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; and an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluid inflatable means is a balloon.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 18 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said tubular guide wire is stainless steel, gold, or platinum.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 23 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said helical structural member is a wire made of tungsten, molybdenum, or high-strength stainless steel.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 24 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said helical structural member is a ribbon made of tungsten, molybdenum, or high-strength stainless steel ribbon.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 4 or 5 wherein said helical structural member is formed with a pitch between successive said coils in the range of twenty to sixty degrees.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said helical angle is variable along the length of said guide wire.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said structural member comprises a spring mounted in compression between said guide wire and said guide extension to urge said guide extension and said guide wire apart, to collapse said fluid inflatable means to reduce the radial cross-sectional areas of said fluid inflatable means.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 96 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire by nickel electroplating for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; and an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 96 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire by nickel electroplating for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; and an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire.

Claim 12

Independent Claim 136 words

An apparatus for applying a pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire; and a hydrophilic plug positioned within said balloon near said guide extension to permit the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is not substantially wet and to substantially prevent the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is substantially wet.

Claim 13

Independent Claim 136 words

An apparatus for applying a pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire; and a hydrophilic plug positioned within said balloon near said guide extension to permit the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is not substantially wet and to substantially prevent the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is substantially wet.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 141 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire; and a flexible hollow polymeric portion for interconnecting said balloon and said guide wire, said hollow polymeric portion having a first end and a second end, said first end being bonded in fluid communication to said guide wire, said second end being bonded in fluid communication to said balloon.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 141 words

An apparatus for applying pressure to a stenosis in the lumen of a body vessel which comprises: a balloon; a hollow tubular guide wire attached in fluid communication with said balloon; a guide extension fixedly attached to said balloon with said balloon interconnecting said guide extension and said guide wire; a helical structural member bonded to said wire for strengthening said wire, said helical member defining a plurality of coils; an elongated flexible structural member disposed inside said fluid inflatable means and fixedly attached to said guide extension and said guide wire; and a flexible hollow polymeric portion for interconnecting said balloon and said guide wire, said hollow polymeric portion having a first end and a second end, said first end being bonded in fluid communication to said guide wire, said second end being bonded in fluid communication to said balloon.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 147 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel which comprises: a hollow inflatable tube; positioning means fixedly attached in fluid communication with said inflatable tube to position said inflatable tube within said body vessel; structural means helically bonded to said positioning means to strengthen and support said positioning means; a guide extension bonded to said inflatable tube for steering said apparatus; an elongated spring member positioned inside said inflatable tube and bonded to said positioning means and said guide extension for urging said guide extension away from said positioning means to collapse said inflatable tube; and a hydrophilic plug positioned within said balloon near said guide extension to permit the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is not substantially wet and to substantially prevent the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is substantially wet.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 147 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel which comprises: a hollow inflatable tube; positioning means fixedly attached in fluid communication with said inflatable tube to position said inflatable tube within said body vessel; structural means helically bonded to said positioning means to strengthen and support said positioning means; a guide extension bonded to said inflatable tube for steering said apparatus; an elongated spring member positioned inside said inflatable tube and bonded to said positioning means and said guide extension for urging said guide extension away from said positioning means to collapse said inflatable tube; and a hydrophilic plug positioned within said balloon near said guide extension to permit the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is not substantially wet and to substantially prevent the passage of gas through said plug and said guide extension when said plug is substantially wet.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 19 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 12 wherein said inflatable tube is a balloon.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 29 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 13 wherein said positioning means is a hollow tubular guide wire made of stainless steel, gold, or platinum.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 62 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 14 further comprising a flexible hollow polymeric portion for interconnecting said balloon and said guide wire, said hollow polymeric portion having a first end and a second end, said first end being bonded in fluid communication to said guide wire, said second end being bonded in fluid communication to said balloon.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 14 wherein said structural means is a helical member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 16 wherein said helical member is bonded to said guide wire by nickel electroplating.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 16 wherein said helical member is a wire made of tungsten, molybdenum, or high-strength stainless steel.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 18 wherein said helical member is a ribbon made of tungsten, molybdenum, or high-strength stainless steel.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 34 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 18 or 19 wherein said helical member is formed with a pitch between successive coils in the range of twenty to sixty degrees.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 20 wherein said helical angle is variable along the length of said guide wire.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 28 words

An apparatus for dilating a body vessel as recited in claim 12 wherein said spring member is mounted in compression between said positioning means and said guide extension.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 164 words

An angioplasty device for urging against a stenosis in a blood vessel, which comprises: an expandable balloon having a first end and a second end, said balloon having an expanded configuration wherein said balloon is radially enlarged to urge against said stenosis and a collapsed configuration wherein said balloon is radially reduced relative to said expanded configuration to facilitate moving said balloon within said blood vessel; an elongated hollow tube bonded to said first end of said balloon, said tube having an open end placed through said first end of said balloon and being in fluid communication with said balloon for selectively establishing said expanded and said collapsed configurations; a flexible guide extension bonded to said second end of said balloon for guiding said balloon within said blood vessel; and an elongated flexible spring positioned inside said balloon and bonded to said tube and said guide extension to urge said tube away form said guide extension to urge said balloon into said collapsed configuration.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 164 words

An angioplasty device for urging against a stenosis in a blood vessel, which comprises: an expandable balloon having a first end and a second end, said balloon having an expanded configuration wherein said balloon is radially enlarged to urge against said stenosis and a collapsed configuration wherein said balloon is radially reduced relative to said expanded configuration to facilitate moving said balloon within said blood vessel; an elongated hollow tube bonded to said first end of said balloon, said tube having an open end placed through said first end of said balloon and being in fluid communication with said balloon for selectively establishing said expanded and said collapsed configurations; a flexible guide extension bonded to said second end of said balloon for guiding said balloon within said blood vessel; and an elongated flexible spring positioned inside said balloon and bonded to said tube and said guide extension to urge said tube away form said guide extension to urge said balloon into said collapsed configuration.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

An angioplasty device as recited in claim 23 further comprising a helical member bonded to said tube to strengthen said tube.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-05-10	1996-11-09	1997-05-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-05-10	2000-11-09	2001-05-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-05-10	2004-11-09	2005-05-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Guide wire with integral angioplasty balloon

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