What am I looking at?
Visual recognition
Moderate-length balloon on a catheter shaft, inflated within the transhepatic tract or across a ductal narrowing.
13-02
Biliary angioplasty balloon catheter
Ductal dilation balloon
Three-panel learning framework
Recognition, context, and distinction
What does it do, and where will I see it?
Use & procedural context
Angioplasty-type balloon inflated to dilate the parenchymal tract or predilate a ductal or anastomotic stricture so a larger drain or stent can pass. Typical procedural contexts include biliary drain placement and exchange and benign or anastomotic stricture dilation.
What most clearly distinguishes it from similar devices?
Key distinctions
This balloon is used within the biliary tract or access tract for dilation, so its role is mechanical enlargement rather than temporary occlusion for cholangiography.