Importance

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Abstract

A balloon catheter having a distal ballon, and a catheter extending from the proximal end of the balloon, out of the body, forming a conduit for ballon inflation fluid, is sized and adapted, with the balloon deflated to a relatively small size, for introduction of the balloon into the body, and the balloon is adapted to be inflated to a relatively larger size by introduction of inflation fluid into the balloon for outside the body via the conduit. The balloon catheter includes a vent disposed at the distal end of the balloon for selectively venting gas above a predetermined pressure from the interior of the balloon while restricting passage of inflation fluid from the balloon at operating pressure. The vent consists of a multi-winding coil extending distally from within the balloon, interstitial spaces generally between the windings of the coil being of a predetermined size selected to permit passage therethrough of gaseous molecules above a predetermined pressure, while restricting throughpassage of larger molecules of inflation fluid.

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First Claim