Abstract: A catheter assembly or catheter attachment for use in treatment of coronary artery disease resulting from atheromatous lesions whereby stenotic lesions can be dilated without interruption to the blood supply distal to the stenotic lesion being treated, the catheter further allowing blood pressure distal to the site to be measured throughout the treatment procedure. In one form of the invention, the catheter assembly comprises first and second coaxial telescoping tubes, the outer tube having a pattern of perforations through its side wall proximate the distal end thereof and an inelastic expander member sealed to its outer surface at spaced apart locations so as to span the pattern of perforations. The patient's own blood may be perfused through the lumen of the outer tube between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube and through the pattern of perforations to uniformly expand the inelastic expander member.

Abstract: A catheter assembly or catheter attachment for use in treatment of coronary artery disease resulting from atheromatous lesions whereby stenotic lesions can be dilated without interruption to the blood supply distal to the stenotic lesion being treated, the catheter further allowing blood pressure distal to the site to be measured throughout the treatment procedure. In one form of the invention, the catheter assembly comprises first and second coaxial telescoping tubes, the outer tube having a pattern of perforations through its side wall proximate the distal end thereof and an inelastic expander member sealed to its outer surface at spaced apart locations so as to span the pattern of perforations. The patient's own blood may be perfused through the lumen of the outer tube between the outer surface of the inner tube and the inner surface of the outer tube and through the pattern of perforations to uniformly expand the inelastic expander member.