Abstract: A balloon catheter has a visual indicator to indicate when a maximum pressure has been reached or exceeded for forensic purposes after a catheter has failed. The visual indicator can be mechanical, such as a physical member that stretches or discolors upon yielding. Or the visual indicator can be the use of a force sensitive polymer that changes color upon a predetermined stress, such as for example mechanophores. Where such visual indicators are present, a failed catheter can be investigated to determine if the failure was likely the result of overpressurization, or if the catheter failed for defects unrelated to the pressure.

Abstract: An improved stent design and stent delivery catheter assembly for repairing a main vessel and a side branch vessel forming a bifurcation. The stent includes rings aligned along a common longitudinal axis and connected by links, where the stent has one or more portals for aligning with and partially expanding into the opening to the side branch vessel. The stent is implanted at a bifurcation so that the main stent section is in the main vessel, and the portal section covers at least a portion of the opening to the side branch vessel. A second stent can be implanted in the side branch vessel and abut the expanded central section to provide full coverage of the bifurcated area in the main vessel and the side branch vessel. Radiopaque markers on the stent and on the tip of the delivery catheter assist in aligning the portal section with the opening to the side branch vessel.