Thin-walled multi-layered catheter having a fuseless tip
First Claim
1. A fuseless catheter having a distal end adapted to be formed into a curve and guided through blood vessels, comprising:
- an elongated two-layered tubular member and a single-layered fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion at the distal end of said elongated tubular member;
said elongated tubular member having an inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath that includes a longitudinal, generally axial, inner bore therethrough;
said elongated tubular member further includes an outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath closely overlying said inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath;
the longitudinal, generally axial bore of the inner, rigid polymer sheath is generally coextensive with an inner bore through said atraumatic tip portion;
said fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion is an integral extension of, is made of the same flexible polymer as, and was extruded continuously with said outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath, said tip portion extending beyond said inner, rigid polymer sheath; and
said inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath is adhered to said outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thin-walled catheter of the type having a distal end adapted to be formed into a curve and guided through branching blood vessels or the like is provided with a two-layered tubular body portion having a rigid inner sheath and a flexible outer sheath, which may be radiopaque. The catheter exhibits excellent torque response and control while being especially thin-walled, thereby permitting minimization of the outer diameter size while providing excellent liquid flow rates therethrough and excellent strength properties. The tip portion is fuseless with respect to the rest of the catheter, the tip portion being an integral extension of the flexible outer sheath that is formed over a gap between lengths of the rigid inner sheath.
321 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A fuseless catheter having a distal end adapted to be formed into a curve and guided through blood vessels, comprising:
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an elongated two-layered tubular member and a single-layered fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion at the distal end of said elongated tubular member; said elongated tubular member having an inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath that includes a longitudinal, generally axial, inner bore therethrough; said elongated tubular member further includes an outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath closely overlying said inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath; the longitudinal, generally axial bore of the inner, rigid polymer sheath is generally coextensive with an inner bore through said atraumatic tip portion; said fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion is an integral extension of, is made of the same flexible polymer as, and was extruded continuously with said outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath, said tip portion extending beyond said inner, rigid polymer sheath; and said inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath is adhered to said outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10)
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8. A fuseless catheter having a distal end adapted to be formed into a curve and guided through blood vessels, comprising:
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an elongated two-layered tubular member and a single-layered fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion at the distal end of said elongated tubular member; said elongated tubular member having an inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath that includes a longitudinal, generally axial, inner bore therethrough; said elongated tubular member further includes an outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath closely overlying said inner, rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath; the longitudinal, generally axial bore of the inner, rigid polymer sheath is generally coextensive with an inner bore through said atraumatic tip portion; said fuseless flexible atraumatic tip portion is an integral extension of, is made of the same flexible polymer as, and was extruded continuously with said outer, flexible polymer elongated sheath, said tip portion extending beyond said inner, rigid polymer sheath; and said outer flexible polymer elongated sheath was formed by extrusion of the flexible polymer over said rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath and said atraumatic tip portion was formed by continuation of said extrusion of the flexible polymer through a longitudinal gap in said rigid polymer elongated cylindrical sheath.
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Specification