dictionary help| balloon-tip catheter | medical dictionary |
A tube with a balloon at its tip that can be inflated or deflated without removal after installation; the balloon may be inflated to facilitate passage of the tube through a blood vessel (propelled by the bloodstream) or to occlude the vessel in which the tube alone would allow free flow; such catheter's are used to enter the pulmonary artery to facilitate haemodynamic measurements or to enter arteries and then remove them while inflated to withdraw clots (embolectomy catheter).
See: Swan-Ganz catheter.
Synonyms: Fogarty catheter.
(05 Mar 2000)
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