Appeal No. 97-0684
Application 08/171,343
coaxial with the inner tube and defining an annular lumen B
therebetween, and a surrounding outer tube 3 coaxial with the
intermediate tube and defining an annular lumen C therebetween.
An expandable balloon 10 is provided at the distal end of the
catheter and is connected at its proximal end to the outer tube
and at its distal end to the distal end of the catheter. The
annular lumens B and C are in fluid communication with the
interior of the balloon such that when contrast medium is
injected into one of the annular lumens to inflate the balloon,
any air remaining in the balloon can be easily flushed out
through the other annular lumen (translation, page 7). Sugiyama
discloses several embodiments, including a Figure 2 embodiment
wherein the outer tube extends past the proximal end of the
balloon and is directly secured to the intermediate tube, a
Figure 5 embodiment wherein the ends of the outer and
intermediate tubes are not secured to their respective underlying
tubes such that annular lumens B and C communicate with the
interior of the balloon by way of annular openings at the ends of
the outer and intermediate tubes, a Figure 6 embodiment wherein
the outer tube extends past the proximal end of the balloon and
is indirectly secured to the intermediate tube via a spacer (not
numbered), and a Figure 7 embodiment wherein the intermediate and
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Last modified: November 3, 2007