Abstract: The shaft of a dilation balloon catheter includes three lumens; a dilation balloon lumen, a guidewire lumen, and an inner balloon lumen. A dilation balloon near the distal near the distal end of the catheter is inflated and deflated through the dilation balloon lumen. An inner balloon within the guidewire lumen provides a means for releasably securing a guidewire disposed within the guidewire lumen, thereby allowing the catheter to be configured as a fixed-wire catheter and an over-the-wire catheter. The inner balloon is inflated and deflated through the inner balloon lumen. A longitudinally-extending separable area in the wall of the guidewire lumen allows the guidewire to pass transversely therethrough, thereby allowing the catheter to be removed from a patient while leaving the guidewire in place within the patient. A method for constructing the shaft is also provided.

Abstract: The shaft of a dilation balloon catheter includes three lumens; a dilation balloon lumen, a guidewire lumen, and an inner balloon lumen. A dilation balloon near the distal near the distal end of the catheter is inflated and deflated through the dilation balloon lumen. An inner balloon within the guidewire lumen provides a means for releasably securing a guidewire disposed within the guidewire lumen, thereby allowing the catheter to be configured as a fixed-wire catheter and an over-the-wire catheter. The inner balloon is inflated and deflated through the inner balloon lumen. A longitudinally-extending separable area in the wall of the guidewire lumen allows the guidewire to pass transversely therethrough, thereby allowing the catheter to be removed from a patient while leaving the guidewire in place within the patient. A method for constructing the shaft is also provided.

Abstract: A catheter for insertion through a main artery into a branch artery ostium comprises a shaft, an integral profiled portion, and an integral tip portion. The profiled portion comprises a series of bends and straight legs. The tip portion of the catheter axially engages the branch artery. The profiled portion is shaped and dimensioned so that when the tip portion is engaged with the branch artery, the leg of the profiled portion adjacent to the shaft will be parallel to and engaged with the opposing inner wall of the main artery to resist forces tending to displace the tip portion from the branch artery.