A continuous tube having alternating compositions along a length direction of the tube can include at least a first segment extruded from a first composition along a length direction of the tube and at least a second segment extruded from a second composition along the length direction of the tube in which the first and second segments are integrally joined. Additional segments can be added to the continuous tubing. Such tubing can be used as medical device such as with infusion sets.

Polymeric materials that are blends of polymers having differing water solubility rates are disclosed. The blends may be incorporated into at least a portion of a medical devices such as the shafts of flushable urinary catheters to provide suitable catheter stiffness/flexibility and catheter disintegration in water receptacles such as toilets. The blended material may provide the substrate of the catheter shaft or may provide one or more layers of the catheter.

Disclosed is a drug eluting balloon for a balloon catheter. The drug eluting balloon comprises a balloon body (100) and a coating (200), and the coating (200) comprises a water-soluble adhesive layer (210), an isolating layer (220) and a drug layer (230) from the inside out. After the drug eluting balloon is pushed to a diseased part, the balloon body (100) is expanded, and the water-soluble adhesive layer (210) dissolves due to scouring by a blood flow, such that the isolating layer (220) and the drug layer (230) are separated from an outer surface of the balloon body (100) and adhere to a blood vessel wall. The provision of the isolating layer (220) can effectively suppress the water-soluble adhesive layer (210) from removing part of the drug layer (230) during dissolution, and after the drug layer (230) adheres to and makes contact with the blood vessel wall, the isolating layer can also reduce the scouring effect on the drug layer (230) by the blood flow, thereby reducing the loss of drugs, allowing the drugs to be taken in by the blood vessel wall to the greatest extent, greatly improving the utilization rate of the drugs and improving the treatment effect while also preventing toxic and side effects brought about by large doses of the drugs. Moreover, the isolating layer (220) can also realize the slow release of the drug layer (230), such that the drug layer (230) can provide treatment for a long time, and a good treatment effect can be obtained.

Zwitterionic carboxybetaine copolymers and their use in coatings to impart non-fouling and functionality to surfaces, particularly surfaces of blood-contacting medical devices.

A continuous tube having alternating compositions along a length direction of the tube can include at least a first segment extruded from a first composition along a length direction of the tube and at least a second segment extruded from a second composition along the length direction of the tube in which the first and second segments are integrally joined. Additional segments can be added to the continuous tubing. Such tubing can be used as medical device such as with infusion sets.

A steerable endovascular catheter which can be used and for diagnosis and endovascular treatment of vascular diseases. Methods of diagnosis and endovascular treatment comprising steering the catheter through vasculature of a patient.

Zwitterionic carboxybetaine copolymers and their use in coatings to impart non-fouling and functionality to surfaces, particularly surfaces of blood-contacting medical devices.

Thermoplastic elastomer compositions can be used for medical skin contact applications, comprising: a) 90.9 to 69.0 wt.-% star-shaped block copolymer A with 4 arms of the general structure [S.sub.1—(S/B).sub.k—(S/B).sub.I—(S/B).sub.m—S.sub.2].sub.n—X, where S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 are vinylaro-matic hard polymer and S/B are soft random vinylaromatic/diene copolymer blocks; X is a coupling center; and b) 9.1 to 31.0 wt.-% of a plasticizer B: b1) a mixture of mineral oil B1 and cyclohexane 1,2-dicarboxylic acid C.sub.8 to C.sub.10 dialkyl ester B2; or b2) a mixture of mineral oil B1 and vegetable oil B3.

A continuous tube having alternating compositions along a length direction of the tube can include at least a first segment extruded from a first composition along a length direction of the tube and at least a second segment extruded from a second composition along the length direction of the tube in which the first and second segments are integrally joined. Additional segments can be added to the continuous tubing. Such tubing can be used as medical device such as with infusion sets.

A steerable endovascular catheter which can be used and for diagnosis and endovascular treatment of vascular diseases. Methods of diagnosis and endovascular treatment comprising steering the catheter through vasculature of a patient.