Appeal No. 97-0684
Application 08/171,343
coaxial with the inner tube and defining an annular lumen 44
therebetween. The outer tube includes an integrally formed,
thinned-walled, distensible balloon-like portion 43 intermediate
its ends. The distal end of the outer tube is heat shrunk onto
the distal end of the inner tube to provide a fluid tight seal
between the inner and outer tubes. In Figure 12, Simpson
discloses a catheter embodiment that includes a flush tube in the
form of a thin flexible tubular wire 156, the purpose of which is
to facilitate rapid filling of the balloon portion with a
radiographic liquid and ensure that all air within the balloon
portion can escape and be vented prior to introduction of the
catheter into the patient (column 12, lines 29-54). When all air
has been flushed from the catheter, the flush wire is removed
(column 12, lines 60-61). Simpson does not disclose an outer
tube terminating proximally of the distal end of the catheter and
being attached to an inner tube at a location between the
proximal and distal ends of the catheter to resist axial
telescoping of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube, as
required by independent claim 1.
Sugiyama pertains to a three tube, three lumen coaxial
balloon dilation catheter comprising an inner tube 1 defining a
guidewire lumen A therethrough, a surrounding intermediate tube 2
-5-
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Last modified: November 3, 2007