Claims
- 1. A method for attaching a sensor to a wall of an inflatable balloon having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, comprising:
inflating the balloon; attaching the sensor with an adhesive to the wall of the balloon at a location between the proximal and distal end portions; and deflating the balloon after the adhesive has at least partially cured.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein attaching the sensor comprises attaching a thermocouple to the wall of the balloon.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein inflating the balloon comprises actuating an expansion actuator.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein actuating the expansion actuator comprises coupling a pressurizable fluid source to the balloon.
- 5. The method of claim 4, wherein a pressurized fluid source containing a non-pyrogenic fluid is coupled to the balloon.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the non-pyrogenic fluid is selected from the group consisting of sterile water and hydrogen peroxide.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to inflating the balloon, the method further comprises inverting the balloon such that an inner surface of the wall of the balloon is exposed.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein after deflating the balloon, the method further comprises reverting the balloon such that the sensor attached to the inner surface of the wall of the balloon is inside the deflated balloon.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein after deflating the balloon, the method further comprises reverting the balloon, such that the sensor, which is attached to the wall of the balloon, is inside the deflated balloon.
- 10. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to inflating the balloon, the method further comprises sealably bonding the balloon to a tubular shaft having an inflation lumen with an inflation port, said inflation lumen being coupled to an expansion actuator, and wherein the proximal end portion of the balloon is bonded to the tubular shaft proximal to the inflation port and the distal end portion of the balloon is bonded to the tubular shaft distal to the inflation port.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein prior to sealably bonding the balloon to the tubular shaft, the method further comprises inverting the balloon, such that an inner surface of the wall of the balloon is exposed.
- 12. The method of claim 11, wherein after deflating the balloon, the method further comprises trimming the balloon distal to the proximal end portion and proximal to the distal end portion, such that the balloon is released from the tubular shaft to which it had been sealably bonded.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein after trimming the balloon, the method further comprises reverting the balloon, such that the sensor, which is attached to the inner surface of the wall of the balloon, is inside the deflated balloon.
- 14. The method of claim 1, wherein after deflating the balloon, the balloon is attached to an ablation catheter.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to inflating the balloon, the balloon is longitudinally stretched.
- 16. A method of manufacturing an ablation catheter comprising an elongate body with an inflatable balloon having proximal and distal end portions and a sensor attached to an inner surface of a wall of the balloon, comprising:
inflating the balloon by actuating the expansion actuator; attaching the sensor with an adhesive to the balloon at a location between the proximal and distal end portions; deflating the balloon after the adhesive has at least partially cured; inverting the balloon such that the sensor is inside the balloon; and attaching the balloon to the elongate body.
- 17. A method of manufacturing an ablation catheter comprising an elongate body with an inflatable balloon having proximal and distal end portions and a sensor attached to an inner surface of a wall of the balloon, comprising:
inverting the balloon such that the inner surface of the wall of the balloon is exposed; stretching the inverted balloon longitudinally along a tubular shaft having an inflation lumen with an inflation port, the inflation lumen being coupled to an expansion actuator; sealably bonding the stretched balloon to the tubular shaft, wherein the proximal end portion of the balloon is bonded to the tubular shaft proximal to the inflation port and the distal end portion of the balloon is bonded to the tubular shaft distal to the inflation port; inflating the balloon by actuating the expansion actuator; attaching the sensor with an adhesive to the exposed inner surface of the wall of the balloon at a location between the proximal and distal end portions; deflating the balloon after the adhesive has at least partially cured; trimming the balloon distal to the proximal end portion and proximal to the distal end portion, such that the balloon is released from the tubular shaft to which it had been sealably bonded; reverting the balloon, such that the sensor, which is attached to the inner surface of the wall of the balloon, is inside the balloon; and stretching and bonding the balloon with the sensor attached to the inner surface of the wall of the balloon to the elongate body.
RELATED PATENTS AND APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/517,614, filed on Mar. 2, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/199,736, filed on Nov. 25, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,101, issued Sep. 12, 2000, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/889,798, filed on Jul. 8, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,740, issued Feb. 15, 2000, and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 to these applications. In addition, the present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to provisional application No. 60/231,485, filed on Sep. 8, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60231485 |
Sep 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09517614 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Child |
09949479 |
Sep 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09199736 |
Nov 1998 |
US |
Child |
09517614 |
Mar 2000 |
US |
Parent |
08889798 |
Jul 1997 |
US |
Child |
09199736 |
Nov 1998 |
US |