Flexible tubular member for catheter construction

• US 4,960,410 A
• Filed: 03/31/1989
• Issued: 10/02/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pinchuk, Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US07/332,503
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 604/96-103, 604/280, 604/282, 606/192, 606/194, 128/657, 128/658
• US Class Current: 604/96.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0054 with regions for increasing flexibility

Abstract

A catheter having a two-part tubular member that defines a passageway which extends completely through the catheter. One part of the tubular member is a relatively stiff tube having a reduced wall thickness at its distal end that is spirally cut to increase its flexibility. A more flexible sheath covers the reduced thickness, distal portion of the relatively stiff tube to insure that the tubular member can hold pressure. A preferred flexible sheath or tube is constructed using a biaxially oriented polymer such as nylon or polyethylene.

Claims

1. A catheter for insertion into a subject comprising an elongated tubular member which extends from a proximal end to a distal end of said catheter and defines a passageway extending through said catheter from the proximal end to the distal end;

said elongated tubular member including a first relatively stiff tube that is spirally cut along a distal portion to increase its flexibility and, includes an inner surface that defines said passageway and a second more flexible tube that covers the spirally cut distal portion of the stiff tube to make a distal portion of the elongated tubular member more flexible than a proximal portion of the elongated tubular member.

2. The catheter of claim 1 additionally comprising a second, outer tubular member and an inflatable balloon attached to an end of the outer tubular member, said balloon overlying a portion of said central elongated tubular member that includes the second more flexible tube and wherein a distal end of the balloon is bonded to the more flexible tube of said central elongated tubular member.

3. The catheter of claim 1 wherein a spiral cut extends completely through the thickness of said first relatively stiff tube.

4. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the portion of the first relatively stiff tube covered by the second more flexible tube has a reduced wall thickness and the passageway that extends through the catheter has a uniform diameter along its length.

5. The catheter of claim 1 wherein the spirally cut portion of the first relatively stiff tube covered by the second more flexible tube has a reduced diameter and the wall thickness is uniform, resulting in a reduced diameter passageway along said spirally cut portion of the stiff tube.

6. A catheter for insertion into a subject comprising a central elongated tubular member which extends from a proximal end to a distal end of said catheter and defines a passageway extending through said catheter from the proximal end to the distal end;

said elongated tubular member including a first relatively stiff plastic tube having an inner surface that defines said passageway and a second more flexible plastic tube in engagement with a distal portion of the stiff plastic tube, said distal portion having a reduced wall thickness and a reduced outer diameter to make the distal portion of the stiff plastic tube more flexible, a second, outer tubular member, and an inflatable balloon attached to an end of the outer tubular member, said balloon overlying a portion of said central elongated tubular member including the second more flexible plastic tube and wherein a distal end of the balloon is bonded to the second more flexible plastic tube of said central elongated tubular member.

7. The catheter of claim 6 wherein the reduced wall thickness of the covered portion of the stiff plastic tube is cut in a spiralling cut.

8. The catheter of claim 7 wherein the spiralling cut extends completely through the reduced wall thickness of said first relatively stiff plastic tube.

9. A catheter for insertion into a subject comprising a central elongated tubular member which extends from a proximal end to a distal end of said catheter and defines a passageway extending through said catheter from the proximal end to the distal end;

said elongated tubular member including a first relatively stiff plastic tube having an inner surface that defines said passageway and a second more flexible plastic tube in engagement with a distal portion of the stiff plastic tube, said distal portion having a reduced outer diameter to make said distal portion more flexible, a second, outer tubular member, and an inflatable balloon attached to an end of the outer tubular member, said balloon overlying a portion of said central elongated tubular member including the second more flexible plastic tube and wherein a distal end of the balloon is bonded to the more flexible plastic tube of said central elongated tubular member.

12. The catheter of claim 9 where the passageway through the relatively stiff plastic tube has a reduced diameter along a length of the covered portion of the relatively stiff plastic tube.

10. The catheter of claim 10 wherein a distal portion of the stiff plastic tube covered by the more flexible plastic tube is cut with a spiralling cut.

11. The catheter of claim 10 wherein the spiralling cut extends completely through the covered portion of said first relatively stiff plastic tube.