PTCA procedures generally include inflation of a balloon in an arterial passage in an effort to clear a flow path for blood by dilating the stenosis. Inflation of the balloon and subsequent deflation and removal of the balloon results in treatment of the stenosis to increase the available cross-sectional area for blood to flow through the arterial passage.
In typical PTCA procedures, a guiding catheter is inserted into the cardiovascular system through the Tee-brachial or femoral arteries, generally under local anesthesia, until the distal tip of the catheter is in a coronary artery and generally positioned adjacent a stenosis. An extensible balloon of a dilation catheter is advanced through the guiding catheter alone or over a previously introduced guidewire until the balloon is positioned across the stenosis. The ballooncatheters by providing a perfusion balloon catheter, including a flexible tubular member, and at least one annularly shaped extensible balloon member having an exterior surface and an interior surface. The interior surface of the balloon member is communicatingly connected to the outer surface of the flexible tubular member. Portions of the exterior surface remain adjacent the flexible tube while other portions of the exterior surface are spaced from the flexible tube when the balloon is inflated. Means are provided for inflating the balloon member radially outwardly from the tubular member, such that when the balloon is disposed in an artery, at least one longitudinal pathway is formed between the flexible tubular member, the artery wall and portions of the inflated balloon.
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