Aspects of an expandable sheath can be used in conjunction with a catheter assembly to introduce a prosthetic device, such as a heart valve, into a patient. Such aspects can minimize trauma to the vessel by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the introducer sheath to accommodate the delivery apparatus, followed by a return to the original diameter once the prosthetic device passes through. Some aspects can include a sheath with a variable diameter inner liner wound in a spiral slidable configuration and an outer layer. The disclosed sheath is configured to expand from a predetermined rest diameter d.sub.r to an expanded diameter d.sub.e during application of a radial outward force by passage of a medical device through the sheath.

A support catheter includes: a distal shaft shaped as a tube into which a therapeutic catheter is insertable, the distal shaft including an inner layer and a reinforcing layer, the reinforcing layer being shaped as a tubular mesh including metal wires wound in first and second opposite directions; and a proximal shaft connected to the distal shaft. The reinforcing layer includes welds at intersections of the metal wires wound in the first and second directions. The welds are located in a limited region in a circumferential direction of the distal shaft. A covering member is located outside the welds.

A catheter including an inner liner, a reinforcement layer disposed about the inner liner and having a distal edge separated a predetermined axial distance in a proximal direction from the distal end of the inner liner. The reinforcement layer having a discrete annealed section with an altered crystalline structure having modified (e.g., increased) stiffness relative to non-annealed sections of the reinforcement layer. A marker band is positioned over or adjacent to the distal edge of the reinforcement layer. An outer jacket is disposed about an interim assembled structure including the inner liner, the reinforcement layer, and the marker band to form an assembled structure. During manufacture, heat is applied to reflow together individual components of the assembled structure producing an integral composite catheter shaft.

A flow blocking catheter including an inner tube, a flow blocking member and an outer tube is provided. The flow blocking member is self-expandable and sleeved on an exterior of the inner tube. At least a proximal end of the self-expandable flow blocking member is attached to an outer circumference of the inner tube. The outer tube is movably sleeved on the exterior of the inner tube to restrict an expansion of the flow blocking member. In this way, expansion of the flow blocking member is able to be controlled simply by pushing/retracting the outer or inner tube to offer a fast shifting between different configurations. The flow blocking member is able to occlude blood flow with a controllably expansion to lower stimulation to the wall of the blood vessel and avoid the easy bursting of the balloon.

A flow blocking catheter including an inner tube, an outer tube and a flow blocking member is provided. The flow blocking member has one end attached to an outer circumference of the inner tube and the other end attached to a distal end of the outer tube. The flow blocking member is configured to expand as the outer tube moves toward a distal end of the inner tube and to collapse as the outer tube moves away from the distal end of the inner tube. In this way, expansion of the flow blocking member is able to be controlled simply by pushing/retracting the outer or inner tube to offer a fast shifting between different configurations. The flow blocking member is able to occlude blood flow with a controllably expansion to lower stimulation to the wall of the blood vessel and avoid the easy bursting of the balloon.

Urinary tract infections UTI may be over-diagnosed in very young children because of contamination of a urine specimen by external bacteria when using a conventional catheter. The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a coaxial catheter system and methods for its use, comprising an outer catheter that shields the distal collection opening of an inner catheter during insertion of the system through the meatus. Once the system has been deployed, the distal opening of the inner catheter is exposed in order to collect uncontaminated urine. The system may include a variety of mechanisms to advance the inner catheter relative to the outer, or to retract the outer catheter relative to the inner, a halting mechanism to limit distal movement of the outer catheter, a stopping mechanism to limit distal movement of the inner catheter, and a stabilization mechanism to hold the deployed system in place in male patients.

Catheters incorporating a thin film polymeric layer or layers. The thin film may have a wall thickness of about 0.00025″ +/− less than 0.0001″ to about 0.0015″ +/−0.0002″, for example. The thin film may be formed by extruding a sheet and cutting the sheet into elongate ribbons, each having two opposing long edges. The ribbon may be rolled or wrapped to define a tubular shape with a gap between the long edges. Heat and pressure may be applied to close the gap, abut the edges and form a longitudinal joint. The joint may extend along a portion of the length of the tubular shaft or most of the length of the tubular shaft. The tubular-shaped thin film layer may have a uniform wall thickness around the circumference, and the uniform wall thickness may extend across the joint.

A balloon catheter includes an inflation conduit including an inner inflation tube, an outer inflation tube disposed around the inner inflation tube, and an inflation lumen disposed between the inner and outer inflation tubes. The inner inflation tube includes a first polymer material, and a stiffener integrated into the inner inflation tube to increase a strength of the inner inflation tube. The stiffener includes a second polymer material different from the first polymer material. A balloon is attached to a distal end portion of the inflation conduit. An interior space of the balloon is in fluid communication with the inflation lumen for inflating the balloon when the inflation lumen is placed in fluid communication with an inflation source.

A steerable catheter, such as a dilator, includes an elongated shaft including a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, an end effector disposed at the distal end portion of the shaft, and a handle disposed at the proximal end portion of the shaft. The end effector includes a dilation portion disposed proximate the distal end portion of the shaft, a transition portion disposed distally on the dilation portion, and a distal tip portion disposed distally on the transition portion. The tip portion is movable relative to the dilation portion. The handle includes a tip portion steering actuator enabling a user to steer the tip portion. The tip portion has a tip portion diameter. The dilation portion has a dilation portion diameter which is greater than the tip portion diameter. The transition portion tapers from the tip portion diameter to the dilation portion diameter.

Balloon catheters that includes inner and outer elongate shafts, each of which is secured relative to an end of an inflatable member. The inner and outer elongate shafts are secured relative to one another at one more discrete connection locations. The balloon bonding locations are disposed radially inward relative to an outer dimension of the outer elongate shaft.