Abstract: A system for filling and subsequently producing inflation and deflation of a balloon-type dilating catheter assembly utilized in performing a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty procedure. Separate primary and secondary fluid pump assemblies are provided for isolating the working pump fluid in the primary assembly from the radiocontrast medium filling the secondary assembly. The primary fluid pump assembly includes a primary pump chamber having a flexible diaphragm forming one wall thereof and a hydraulic cylinder including a piston for supplying fluid under pressure to the pump chamber. The pump assembly has been filled with a relatively incompressible liquid while the piston in the cylinder is held in an intermediate fill position and the diaphragm is held substantially flat to enable the primary fluid pump assembly to produce both convex and concave shapes of the diaphragm as the piston is moved between forward and rearward position.

Abstract: A combination guiding catheter assembly and a dilating catheter assembly. The guiding catheter assembly includes a first flexible tubular member formed of a material which has a low coefficient of friction and a second flexible tubular member encasing said first tubular member so that the first tubular member fits tightly in the second tubular member. The combined first and second tubular members have proximal and distal ends with a fitting mounted on the proximal end. The dilating catheter assembly includes a flexible tubular member. The tubular member of the dilating catheter assembly having proximal and distal ends and an inflatable annular portion formed integral with the tubular member of the dilating catheter assembly near the distal end thereof. A fitting is mounted on the proximal end of the tubular member of the dilating catheter assembly. The dilating catheter assembly is disposed within the guiding catheter assembly.