for inflation 42 fig1 typically the inflatable balloon 26 is made of a polymeric material such as polyethylene terephthalate pet or nylon and its outside diameter is about 6 8 french as best seen in fig4 the inflatable balloon 26 can be thought of as having an outer surface 30 and an opposed inner surface 46 that surrounds an inflation volume or chamber 28 that can be infused with a medical grade fluid to expand the inflatable balloon 26 it will be appreciated that an inflation device 42 not shown may include a syringe that can be activated to pump the medical grade fluid such as a saline solution to expand the inflatable balloon 26 in fig1 4 the plaque modifying elements 32 may assume various alternative forms these include tips 38 that are circular rounded u201c domed u201d x shaped star shaped polygonal and the like in a variety of configurations e g an array of longitudinally or laterally spaced or aligned sets as shown in fig2 3 as seen in fig4 in one embodiment the modifying elements 32 are distributed around the circumference 30 of an operative section of the inflatable balloon 26 typically at least some of the modifying elements 32 are made of a medical grade material such as a hard plastic like polytetrafluoroethylene ptfe as best seen in fig4 a portion of at least some of the modifying elements 32 extend from associated mounting pads or bases 34 that are secured to an outside surface 30 of the balloon 26 typically each mounting pad 34 is made of.