CPC A61M 25/1029 (2013.01) [B21D 39/00 (2013.01); B23K 26/0624 (2015.10); B23K 26/0626 (2013.01); B23K 26/361 (2015.10); B23K 26/362 (2013.01); B23K 26/402 (2013.01); A61M 2025/107 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1031 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1075 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1079 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1084 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1086 (2013.01); A61M 2025/1088 (2013.01); B23K 2103/42 (2018.08); B23K 2103/50 (2018.08)] | 26 Claims |
1. A method of fabricating a heart valve delivery catheter, comprising:
obtaining a polymer tube defined by a wall along a longitudinal axis having an inner surface and an outer surface, the polymer comprising a network of polymer chains with a homogenous network morphology;
blow molding the polymer tube into a hollow balloon shape having a central body region, a pair of leg regions on opposite ends of the balloon shape that are radially smaller than the central body region and define axial openings therethrough, and a pair of cone regions extending between the central body region and the leg regions;
applying low heat laser pulses to an outer surface of the cone regions to ablate material and form a laser-formed modification in the outer surface of the cone regions, the low heat laser pulses being configured so as to leave the polymer network morphology surrounding the laser-formed modification substantially unchanged, wherein the laser-formed modification extends parallel to the longitudinal axis in the cone regions;
wherein the blow molded and laser-modified polymer tube forms a balloon, bonding the leg regions of the balloon to a catheter; and
crimping a heart valve around the central body region of the balloon.
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