An intravascular balloon catheter includes a tubular catheter body having
a balloon structure removably mounted over the catheter body. The
catheter body has a guidewire lumen, and the catheter body may be left in
place within a patient's vasculature while the balloon structure is
withdrawn and optionally a second balloon structure introduced over the
catheter body. The catheter and methods of the present invention are
particularly suitable for performing angioplasty and subsequent
procedures, such as stent placement, which are best performed using
successive interventional balloon structures.