Abstract: A method for forming a balloon for a dilatation catheter involving the steps of extruding a tubing preform of a polyester resin and then blowing the tubing into an oriented balloon, wherein the tubing preform is dried prior to blowing into the balloon form. The addition of this drying step to the balloon forming method has been observed to cause a reduction in the frequency of balloons which are rejected because of visible defects in the balloon wall, while producing the same or higher average wall strengths in the non-defective balloons obtained.

Abstract: A method for forming a balloon for a dilatation catheter may utilize the steps of extruding a tubing preform of a polyester resin and then blowing the tubing into an oriented balloon, wherein the tubing preform is dried prior to blowing into the balloon form. Other process steps by which balloon cone and waist thicknesses may be reduced involve varying the axial tension and blowing pressure at several stages as a mold containing the balloon preform is dipped into a heating medium. Specifically, tubing of a thermoplastic material is placed in a mold and blown by pressurizing and tensioning the tubing and gradually dipping the mold into a heated heat transfer media so as to sequentially blow a first waist, a body and a second waist portion. The tubing is subjected to a relatively lower pressure while the body portion is blown than while the first and second waist portions are blown.

Abstract: A scissors with interchangeable blades wherein first and second blade holders are pivoted with respect to each other and each has a manual graspable configuration thereon. On the other end of each blade holder is a blade retainer. Individual blades can be placed in pairs in these blade holders. These pairs of blades have different cooperative configuration so that they can make triangular cuts of different sizes, scallops of different sizes, and other repeating configurations.

Abstract: A method for forming a balloon for a dilatation catheter may utilize the steps of extruding a tubing preform of a polyester resin and then blowing the tubing into an oriented balloon, wherein the tubing preform is dried prior to blowing into the balloon form. Other process steps by which balloon cone and waist thicknesses may be reduced involve varying the axial tension and blowing pressure at several stages as a mold containing the balloon preform is dipped into a heating medium. Specifically, tubing of a thermoplastic material is placed in a mold and blown by pressurizing and tensioning the tubing and gradually dipping the mold into a heated heat transfer media so as to sequentially blow a first waist, a body and a second waist portion. The tubing is subjected to a relatively lower pressure while the body portion is blown than while the first and second waist portions are blown.