Ultrafast Laser Micromachining of Latex for Balloon Angioplasty

Latex balloons used in percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are micromachined by mechanical, electrical, and optical methods. However, the cleanliness, straightness, and thermal damage obtained in these methods must be improved in order to minimize the adhesion of a balloon on the catheter tube. In this work, a femtosecond pulsed laser was used to micromachine 1.5 mm diameter latex tubes. The focused beam coupled with argon shield gas substantially improved the quality of cuts and holes acceptable by the Food and Drug Administration. Ultrafast laser by virtue of nonthermal ablation enabled the best quality in machined profiles. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4000680]