Catheter System for Opening and Closing Body Passages
This 1980 patent describes a medical catheter system with a guide catheter and a special dilatation catheter that can expand to open or close body passages, like blood vessels.
Original patent title: “Catheter arrangement, method of catheterization, and method of manufacturing a dilatation element”
This 1980 patent describes a medical catheter system with a guide catheter and a special dilatation catheter that can expand to open or close body passages, like blood vessels. Granted to Schneider Medintag AG in 1980 with 20 claims and 256 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent details a medical device system for procedures like angioplasty. It involves two main parts: a guide catheter and a dilatation catheter. The dilatation catheter has a special expandable tip, called a dilatation element, which has two separate internal channels (lumens). One channel is for injecting fluid to open up a passage or cavity, and the other is for inflating the dilatation element itself to a specific size. The guide catheter is designed to be stiff and allow for twisting (torsional forces) to help steer it. The dilatation element is described as having a foldable wall that can expand to a predetermined shape and diameter when pressurized. An example use would be to insert this system into a narrowed blood vessel, position the dilatation element at the blockage, and then inflate it to widen the vessel.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Catheter systems where the dilatation element is not foldable or pre-shaped.
- Catheter systems that do not have two distinct lumens within the dilatation element.
- Catheter systems where one lumen is not used for inflating the dilatation element.
- Catheter systems where the guide catheter cannot transmit torsional forces.
- Catheter systems without a marking element for X-ray localization.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the dual-lumen design of the dilatation element, allowing simultaneous inflation of the balloon and delivery of fluid to the target site, all guided by a specially reinforced catheter for better control during complex navigation.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Balloon angioplasty catheters
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) devices
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is foundational for minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures, particularly angioplasty. It describes the core components and mechanism for balloon catheters used to open blocked arteries, a technique that revolutionized cardiac care and continues to be a cornerstone of treating heart disease.
Filed
November 21, 1977
Granted
April 1, 1980
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
The technology described is fundamental to numerous medical device companies producing angioplasty and other interventional cardiology equipment. Major players like Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Abbott continue to innovate in this space, building upon the principles established by early patents like this one.
Market impact
This patent enabled the development and widespread adoption of balloon angioplasty, creating a new standard of care for treating coronary artery disease and significantly reducing the need for open-heart surgery. It spurred the growth of the interventional cardiology market.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent details a medical device system for procedures like angioplasty. It involves two main parts: a guide catheter and a dilatation catheter. The dilatation catheter has a special expandable tip, called a dilatation element, which has two separate internal channels (lumens). One channel is for injecting fluid to open up a passage or cavity, and the other is for inflating the dilatation element itself to a specific size. The guide catheter is designed to be stiff and allow for twisting (torsional forces) to help steer it. The dilatation element is described as having a foldable wall that can expand to a predetermined shape and diameter when pressurized. An example use would be to insert this system into a narrowed blood vessel, position the dilatation element at the blockage, and then inflate it to widen the vessel.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the dual-lumen design of the dilatation element, allowing simultaneous inflation of the balloon and delivery of fluid to the target site, all guided by a specially reinforced catheter for better control during complex navigation.
What it does not cover
- Catheter systems where the dilatation element is not foldable or pre-shaped.
- Catheter systems that do not have two distinct lumens within the dilatation element.
- Catheter systems where one lumen is not used for inflating the dilatation element.
- Catheter systems where the guide catheter cannot transmit torsional forces.
- Catheter systems without a marking element for X-ray localization.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Moderate
Citation count
40/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$129K – $412K
Midpoint $257K · expired or expiring · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
20 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gruntzig, A., & Gleichner, H. (1980). Catheter System for Opening and Closing Body Passages (U.S. Patent No. 4,195,637). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4195637/balloon-angioplasty-catheter-gruentzig
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Catheter System for Opening and Closing Body Passages cover?
This 1980 patent describes a medical catheter system with a guide catheter and a special dilatation catheter that can expand to open or close body passages, like blood vessels.
Who owns patent US 4195637?
Schneider Medintag AG owns this patent, granted in 1980.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 4195637 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 256 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is foundational for minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures, particularly angioplasty. It describes the core components and mechanism for balloon catheters used to open blocked arteries, a technique that revolutionized cardiac care and continues to be a cornerstone of treating heart disease.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Catheter systems where the dilatation element is not foldable or pre-shaped.
Patent monitoring