Importance

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Abstract

The intravascular expandable device is adapted to be inserted within and through the lumen of a blood vessel and to be manipulated therethrough to a stenotic area where it can be operated for re-establishing desired blood flow through the blood vessel. The device comprises an elongate tubular body having a distal end and a proximal end, an expandable pressure applying assembly including a flexible tubular member mounted to the distal end of the tubular body and a mechanism operable to expand the tubular member outwardly. A tip member is connected to the distal end of the flexible tubular member and an expansion and retraction control mechanism is coupled to the pressure applying assembly for expanding, maintaining expanded or retracting the flexible tubular member relative to a stenotic area within the blood vessel. Preferably, passage means are provided around or through the pressure applying assembly in the device so that the flow of blood through the vessel is not interrupted. The method for treating intravascular stenosis in a blood vessel includes the steps of first inserting the expandable pressure applying assembly into and through the lumen of a blood vessel for applying pressure to the vessel wall, second, manually manipulating the expandable pressure applying assembly into and through the lumen of the blood vessel to a position within a surrounding area of intravascular stenosis, thirdly, operating the expandable pressure applying assembly to expand an expandable tubular member against the surrounding intravascular stenosis, and fourthly, maintaining the expanded tubular member against the vessel wall of the blood vessel for a predetermined time period in order to dilate the vessel and restore it to its normal diameter.

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First Claim