<；P>；PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a balloon catheter capable of easily penetrating a hard stenosed region, capable of being easily manipulated, and capable of reducing the manipulation time. <；P>；SOLUTION: The balloon catheter 10 includes a catheter body 12 including: a shaft 18 with a hub 22 on the proximal end side； a balloon 16 disposed in the vicinity of the distal end of the shaft 18 to be expanded with the pressure from a pressure applying device； and a wire lumen 28a formed within the shaft 18, into which a guide wire 24 is inserted via a distal end opening 20a and a proximal end opening 26. The balloon catheter 10 further includes a sheath 14 which slides on the outer surface of the shaft 18 and which is movable in the axial direction relatively to the catheter body 12. The sheath 14 has a long-length opening 36 in the axial direction which penetrates inside/outside of the sheath 14 in such a way that the guide wire 24 can pass at a position overlapping the proximal end opening 26 of the wire lumen 28a when the sheath 14 is moved relatively to the catheter body 12. <；P>；COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT
