A balloon dilatation catheter defines a side aperture defined in the catheter shaft between the ends of the catheter and communicating between the guidewire lumen and the catheter exterior. A removable support mandrin may occupy a proximal lumen of the catheter. The mandrin may define a distal tip portion which is positioned preferably closely proximal to the aperture. The distal tip portion may have a reduced diameter relative to the average diameter of portions of the mandrin which are proximal to the tip portion, for providing mandrin tip flexibility. Also, a catheter-stiffening bridge member may be positioned within and permanently secured to the catheter adjacent to the aperture portion, to reduce catheter kinking adjacent thereto.

A balloon dilatation catheter system is disclosed which includes a proximal metallic tube and a polymer guide wire tube extending alongside the metallic tube. A distal polymer tube is connected to the distal end of the metallic tube and has a dilatation balloon connected to its distal end. The polymer guide wire tube, which is adapted to slidably receive a guide wire, also extends alongside the distal polymer tube and extends through the interior of the inflatable balloon. The balloon catheter may include a core wire extending from a distal end of the metallic tube and parallel with the distal polymer tube. The distal end of the core wire may be directly or indirectly connected to the balloon to transfer force from the distal end of the metallic tube to the balloon. The polymer guide wire tube may be connected to the metallic tube and/or the distal polymer tube by a suitable adhesive, a series of connection rings, or a connection sleeve. Alternatively, the distal polymer tube and the polymer guide wire tube may be integrally formed as a dual lumen extrusion.

The invention relates to a suction device for medical use, in which an aspirator (1) as illustrated in FIG. 1 is proposed, which has one or a plurality of side openings (3), and which is provided with a valve (4) which responds to underpressure.

The invention relates to a catheter and guidewire exchange system in which the guidewire is contained within an indwelling portion of the catheter and with the guidewire and the catheter being separated externally of the patient. The catheter includes a guidewire lumen and a longitudinal slit which penetrates through the catheter wall and into the guidewire lumen. The catheter walls adjacent the slit are provided with reinforced edges which function to maintain the slit in a normally closed position during the catheterization procedure, when desired.

A sheath for facilitating a guide wire exchange is defined by an elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end and a single thru lumen. The sheath also has a proximal insertion opening and a distal insertion opening in communication with the thru lumen. The sheath includes a distal guide segment for "single operator" insertion and a peelable extent for peelably removing the sheath after use. The distal guide segment is formed along a distal portion of the elongated tubular member. The sheath is inserted along a pre-inserted guide wire by inserting a proximal end of the pre-inserted guide wire through a guide lumen of the distal guide segment. The sheath is advanced distally along the pre-inserted guide wire to a desired position and thereafter the pre-inserted guide wire is withdrawn. A re-shaped guide wire or substitute guide wire is inserted through the proximal insertion opening and advanced through the thru lumen of the sheath to a treatment site. The sheath is withdrawn while peelably removing the tubular member from the inserted guide wire.