Abstract: A drug layer applying device and a method for forming a drug layer which can quickly and easily place an appropriate amount of a drug on a surface of a medical instrument. A drug layer applying device that is used by being inserted into a living body and attachable to a balloon, includes: a flexible sheet; and a drug layer provided on one surface of the sheet.

Abstract: A drug transfer device and a method for forming a drug layer are disclosed, which can quickly and easily provide an appropriate amount of a drug on a surface of a medical instrument. The drug transfer device is configured to transfer a drug to a surface of a balloon, the drug transfer device including a heat-shrinkable tube, and a drug layer provided on an inner surface of the heat-shrinkable tube.

Abstract: Provided are a drug layer applying device and a method for forming a drug layer which can quickly and easily apply or provide an appropriate amount of a drug on a surface of a medical instrument such as a balloon. A drug layer applying device that applies a drug layer on a surface of a balloon to be inserted into a living body, includes: a deformable porous body capable of holding a coating solution containing a drug and a solvent; a removal unit that is flexibly deformable and arranged alongside the porous body; and a holding base that holds the porous body and the removal unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for forming a drug coating layer capable of preventing breakage of elongated drug crystals on a surface of a balloon and maintaining the drug crystals in an appropriate shape in order to act on a living body. The method includes supplying a coating solution which contains the water-insoluble drug, a water-soluble additive, an organic solvent, and water to the surface of the balloon and evaporating the organic solvent and the water to form an additive layer containing the water-soluble additive and a protruding crystal having a tip end protruding from the additive layer, cutting a surplus portion protruding from the additive layer of the protruding crystal from a part surrounded by the additive layer and forming the part surrounded by the additive layer as the elongated body, and removing the cut-out surplus portion from the drug coating layer.

Abstract: A drug coating layer that prevents breakage of elongated drug crystals on a balloon surface while maintaining the drug crystals in an appropriate shape to act on the living body includes plural elongated bodies which are crystals of a water-insoluble drug each extending from the surface of the balloon at various lengths and angles, and a water-soluble additive layer provided in a space between an outer surface of an aggregate of the elongated bodies and the balloon surface to fill a space between the elongated bodies. The outer surface of the additive layer being located outside the aggregate, being uneven connecting a plurality of tip ends and side surfaces of the elongated bodies to each other. The tip ends of the elongated bodies slightly protrude from the additive layer, and the side surfaces and/or tip surfaces of the elongated body are exposed on the surface of the additive layer.

Abstract: A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on the outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter, wherein the balloon catheter includes an elongate shaft possessing a distal portion at which is provided the balloon which is inflatable. The balloon coating method includes: holding the shaft on a support part capable of rotating about an axis of the balloon; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon together with the support part, thereby to coat the outer surface of the balloon with the coating liquid.

Abstract: A balloon coating method and apparatus are disclosed which can perform coating while freely controlling, for example, the thickness of a coating layer and/or the morphological form of a drug. The method includes pulling a distal tip of the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon to straighten a bend of the balloon; rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon; and coating the outer surface of the balloon with a coating liquid.

Abstract: A balloon coating method is disclosed for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The balloon coating method includes an application step in which, where a pipe-shaped dispensing tube formed from a polyolefin for supplying a coating solution containing the water-insoluble drug and a solvent is formed at its end portion with an opening portion for discharging the coating solution therethrough and when the end portion side of the dispensing tube is placed in contact with the outer surface of the balloon while the balloon is rotated about an axis of the balloon, the coating solution is discharged through the opening portion and applied to the outer surface of the balloon while the dispensing tube is moved relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon.

Abstract: There is provided a sealing apparatus for a cryopreservation bag, with which a sealing treatment of an inlet/outlet of the cryopreservation bag is carried out automatically and anyone can safely and properly carry out the sealing treatment. The sealing apparatus includes: a bag clamping device 56; a laser device 57; and a scanning structure 58 for moving the bag clamping device 56, for example. The bag clamping device 56 includes a fixed pinching block 67, a movable pinching block 69, and a clamp actuator 70. The laser device 57 includes a laser oscillator 104 and a condensing lens 107. The fixed pinching block 67 includes a block base 73, a heat radiator 74, and a heat radiator holder 75. An infrared laser beam is radiated to a sealed portion 55 of the bag to form a seal bead 125 for sealing in a state in which the sealed portion 55 is pinched and fixed by the heat radiator 74 and the movable pinching block 69 and while the bag clamping device 56, for example, is moved by the scanning structure 58.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter, the balloon catheter including the balloon which is inflatable and provided on a distal portion of an elongate shaft. The balloon coating method includes: accommodating the shaft in a groove portion formed in a support base to extend rectilinearly, and closing at least part of the groove portion with a lid portion, thereby to support the shaft such that the shaft can be rotated within the groove portion; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to coat the outer surface of the balloon with the coating liquid.

Abstract: A balloon coating method and a balloon coating apparatus are disclosed for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The balloon coating method including fixing a connection portion between the balloon and an inner tube passing through an inside of the balloon, and moving a dispensing tube relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon and while also dispensing the coating liquid containing the water-insoluble drug from the dispensing tube to apply the coating liquid to the outer surface of the balloon.

Abstract: A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer on the outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter includes: inserting a core member into a guide wire lumen penetrating the balloon, disposing a proximal portion of the core member on a proximal side of a region of inflation of the balloon, with a distal portion of the core member protruded distally beyond a distal opening portion of the guide wire lumen, and fixing by clamping together with the core member a part of the balloon catheter that is on a distal side of the region of inflation; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to apply the coating liquid to the outer surface of the balloon.

Abstract: A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer containing a water-insoluble drug on the outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The method includes applying a first rotation force to the balloon catheter proximal to the balloon of the balloon catheter and applying a second rotation force to the balloon catheter distal to the balloon of the balloon catheter. The first rotation speed is the same as the second rotation speed. The method includes applying a coating solution containing the drug to the outer surface of the balloon from a dispensing tube while gradually moving the dispensing tube in the axial direction and simultaneously applying the first and second rotation forces to rotate the balloon catheter around the longitudinal axis of the balloon catheter.

Abstract: A balloon wrapping apparatus for folding a balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section that forms the balloon with pleats; a folding section that folds the pleats formed in the balloon, along a circumferential direction; and a support base that supports the shaft and can be moved toward and away from the pleating section. The pleating section includes an insertion hole through which the balloon can be inserted, and a back surface hole provided in a back surface on the side opposite to the side on which the insertion hole is provided. The pleating section includes an assisting shaft which can be inserted into the back surface hole from the rear surface side, and an interlock portion interlocking the assisting shaft with the support base. The assisting shaft is formed with a cavity portion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for forming a coating layer on an outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter. The method includes supplying a coating solution containing a drug and a solvent through an end portion of a flexible dispensing tube with an opening portion for discharging the coating solution through the end portion of the flexible dispensing tube; keeping in contact an opening portion-formed end portion side of the dispensing tube with the outer surface of the balloon in such a manner as to be oriented in a direction opposite to a rotating direction of the balloon; rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon; and discharging the coating solution through the opening portion and applying the coating solution to the outer surface of the balloon while the dispensing tube is moved relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon.

Abstract: A balloon coating method and a balloon coating apparatus are disclosed by which the thickness and/or morphological form of a drug in a coating formed on a balloon can be appropriately set. The balloon coating method can include moving a coating section for applying a coating liquid containing a drug relative to the balloon in the direction of an axis, while rotating the balloon about the axis of the balloon, thereby to apply the coating liquid to an outer surface of the balloon; detecting the distance of a dried part where the coating liquid applied to the outer surface of the balloon has been dried from the coating section; and controlling moving velocity of the coating section relative to the balloon in such a manner that the distance of the dried part from the coating section is maintained at a preliminarily set designated distance.

Abstract: A balloon catheter is disclosed having a balloon at a distal portion of a catheter shaft and on a surface of the balloon with elongate bodies which are crystals of a water-insoluble drug having independent long axes. The balloon in a deflated state has a plurality of wing portions in a circumferential direction, and a circumferential surface portion along a circumferential direction of the catheter shaft, the wing portions being folded along the circumferential direction of the balloon. Surface of the circumferential surface portion which faces the folded wing portion has a region in which tip portions are not in contact with the surface of the balloon or with other elongate bodies, and surface face of the folded wing portion which faces an outer circumferential side has a region in which the tip portions are in contact with the surface of the balloon or with other elongate bodies.

Abstract: A balloon catheter is disclosed that can effectively deliver a drug to living body tissue, a method of manufacturing a balloon catheter, and a treatment method. A balloon catheter is disclosed, the balloon catheter is provided on an outer surface of a balloon with a plurality of elongate bodies which are independent crystals of a water-insoluble drug extending in an elongate form. The elongate bodies include fixed-side elongate bodies which are fixed to the outer surface side of the balloon, and top-side elongate bodies which are bent or broken from the fixed-side elongate bodies and are continuous with or independent of the fixed-side elongate bodies.

Abstract: A balloon catheter by which a drug can be effectively delivered to living body tissue and a method of manufacturing the balloon catheter, and a treatment method. The balloon catheter is provided on an outer surface of a balloon with a plurality of elongate bodies which are independent crystals of a water-insoluble drug that extend in an elongate form. The elongate bodies have long axes extending in directions along the outer surface of the balloon when the balloon is in a deflated state. Deformation, when the balloon is inflated from the deflated state, of portions on an outer surface side of the balloon to which end portions of the elongate bodies are fixed causes a force to act on the elongate bodies such that the long axes of the elongate bodies approach perpendicularity to the outer surface of the balloon.

Abstract: A balloon coating method for forming a coating layer on the outer surface of a balloon of a balloon catheter includes: inserting a core member into a guide wire lumen penetrating the balloon, disposing a proximal portion of the core member on a proximal side of a region of inflation of the balloon, with a distal portion of the core member protruded distally beyond a distal opening portion of the guide wire lumen, and fixing by clamping together with the core member a part of the balloon catheter that is on a distal side of the region of inflation; and moving a dispensing tube for supplying a coating liquid containing the drug relative to the balloon in an axial direction of the balloon, while rotating the balloon about an axis of the balloon, thereby to apply the coating liquid to the outer surface of the balloon.