A method is used to manufacture a surgical guidewire that includes an outer coil assembly, a position sensor, a communication wire, an adhesive, a core wire, a hollow tube, and an atraumatic tip. The outer coil assembly has an outer coil that extends distally from a proximal coil retainer to a distal coil retainer. The position sensor is located distally within the outer coil assembly and is configured to be in communication with a processor via the communication wire. The core wire is between an outer coil proximal portion and the hollow tube. A distal end of the hollow tube is bonded to the atraumatic tip. The method includes affixing the atraumatic tip to the distal end of the hollow tube with the adhesive. The adhesive is constructed of instant glue.

A urinary catheter is disclosed, comprising a tubular shaft extending between an insertable end and a discharge end, and a tip fixedly connected to said insertable end of the tubular shaft. The tip has an outer diameter which at all places is equal to or lower than the outer diameter of the tubular shaft, and is very soft, so that the hardness of the tip is equal to or lower than 60 micro Shore A. It has been found that such a soft tip provides a catheter which is easier to insert into the urethra, in particular in urethras providing various types of obstacles. A corresponding method of manufacturing is also disclosed.

A catheter for insertion into a body of a patient, and methods of making and using. The catheter can include a distal portion that remains stable during fluid infusion into the patient, thus reducing or eliminating whipping of the catheter distal tip. The catheter can include a proximal portion including a first cross sectional lumen area; a distal portion including a second cross sectional lumen area larger than the first cross sectional lumen area such that the distal portion prevents whipping when the catheter is disposed in a patient and a fluid exits the catheter. The catheter can be attached to a vascular access port and a method can include power injecting a fluid through the vascular access port and the catheter.

An intravenous catheter device or apparatus includes a catheter hub, a catheter tube that resists kinking, a needle, and a needle hub. The catheter tube includes a catheter body having a lumen, an. outer circumference, and a wail thickness between the lumen and the outer circumference, or between an exterior surface and an interior surface. The catheter body can have at least two different portions made from two different materials having two different stiffness properties. The first portion can be made from a first material and the second portion can be made from a second material and wherein the stiffness of the second material can be greater than the stiffness of the first material.

Ablation systems of the present disclosure facilitate the safe formation of wide and deep lesions. For example, ablation systems of the present disclosure can allow for the flow of irrigation fluid and blood through an expandable ablation electrode, resulting in efficient and effective cooling of the ablation electrode as the ablation electrode delivers energy at a treatment site of the patient. Additionally, or alternatively, ablation systems of the present disclosure can include a deformable ablation electrode and a plurality of sensors that, in cooperation, sense the deformation of the ablation electrode, to provide a robust indication of the extent and direction of contact between the ablation electrode and tissue at a treatment site.

Ablation systems of the present disclosure facilitate the safe formation of wide and deep lesions. For example, ablation systems of the present disclosure can allow for the flow of irrigation fluid and blood through an expandable ablation electrode, resulting in efficient and effective cooling of the ablation electrode as the ablation electrode delivers energy at a treatment site of the patient. Additionally, or alternatively, ablation systems of the present disclosure can include a deformable ablation electrode and a plurality of sensors that, in cooperation, sense the deformation of the ablation electrode, to provide a robust indication of the extent and direction of contact between the ablation electrode and tissue at a treatment site.

A catheter has extruded length of tubing and an injection molded tip that facilitates insertion of the catheter into the body. The catheter is fabricated by the steps of providing the tubing, for example, by extruding the tubing from a thermoplastic resin cutting the tubing to the desired length, inserting a plug into the tubing, inserting one end of the tubing into an injection mold cavity, creating and forming a tip in an injection molding step, and demolding the tubing with the formed tip.

A catheter has extruded length of tubing and an injection molded tip that facilitates insertion of the catheter into the body. The catheter is fabricated by the steps of providing the tubing, for example, by extruding the tubing from a thermoplastic resin cutting the tubing to the desired length, inserting a plug into the tubing, inserting one end of the tubing into an injection mold cavity, creating and forming a tip in an injection molding step, and demolding the tubing with the formed tip.

A catheter having a catheter shaft and a tip. The catheter shaft includes an inner layer, a first reinforcing layer disposed around an outer periphery of the inner layer, an intermediate layer, a second reinforcing layer disposed around an outer periphery of the intermediate layer, and an outer layer that covers the second reinforcing layer. The tip includes a proximal end portion that extends in an axial direction of the catheter and is joined to at least the intermediate layer and the outer layer, between the first reinforcing layer and the second reinforcing layer. The proximal end portion increases the joining strength between the intermediate layer and the tip and the joining strength between the outer layer and the tip. As a result, it is possible to prevent the tip from easily detaching from the catheter shaft.

An insertion instrument is provided including a tube having a proximal end adapted to be gripped by a user and a distal end adapted for insertion. A tip control actuator is located at the proximal end, and the distal end of the tube includes a flexible portion. This flexible portion includes a spine and a plurality of circumferentially extending ribs extending from the spine. The ribs are axially spaced apart from a distal tip toward the proximal end, with the ribs being spaced apart by wedge shaped partial circumferential openings. The ribs have first and second axial sides defined by the wedge-shaped openings, with the first axial side of one of the ribs facing the second axial side of an adjacent one of the ribs. For each of the ribs, at least one of the first or second axial sides includes at least one of an axially extending projection or a recess and a facing one of the at least one of the first or second axial sides of an adjacent one of the ribs includes at least one of a complementary mating recess or a corresponding axial projection. At least one tension wire extends from the tip control actuator to the distal tip.