ZeroFold Technology

Zylon® has developed patented technology enabling production of the absolutely lowest profile PTCA catheter currently available. The technology is based on substituting the standard folded and wrapped balloon element in a given catheter design with the Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon. The Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon is unique in that it features drop in capability into an existing catheter design plus ultra-low profile, predictible radial expansion, high burst strength, high flexibility and a low axial growth.

A catheter based on the Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon could be utilized to open highly stenosed lesions, to open lesions in small arteries or to open chronic total occlusions (“CTO’s”). Such a reduced profile balloon catheter would be considered to be of major clinical significance due to its easier maneuverability and its increased potential for opening lesions currently un-crossable or un-reachable.

The Improvement - Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon with ZeroFold Technology

Standard balloon catheters claim to be low profile, but the low profile region is typically limited to the tip. In standard catheters, the balloon region immediately proximal to the tip, exhibits a jump in size due to the presence of the balloon folds. The tip/balloon transition becomes a region of high crossing resistance in tight stenoses.

A catheter made with a Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon does not exhibit a jump in profile at the balloon/tip transition. This is due to the lack of folds characteristic of a Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon. The profile of the catheter remains constant from the tip/balloon transition up to the balloon/outer lumen transition.

The smooth transition from tip to outer lumen characteristic of catheters incorporating the Zylon® "ZeroFold" Angioplasty balloon offers the interventional cardiologist the promise of easier and faster crossing for small arteries, highly stenosed arteries and CTO’s. (see Fig.1 below)

Figure 1. Cross-sectional view through balloon segment of catheter.