A method of manufacturing a catheter shaft includes the steps of forming an inner layer of a first polymeric material, forming a plait matrix layer including a second polymeric material about the inner layer, and forming an outer layer of a third polymeric material about the plait matrix layer. The plait matrix layer includes a braided wire mesh partially or fully embedded within the second polymeric material, which is different from at least one of the first polymeric material forming the inner layer and the third polymeric material forming the outer layer. The second polymeric material has a higher yield strain and/or a lower hardness than at least the first polymeric material, and preferably both the first and the third polymeric materials. The first polymeric material and the third polymeric material may be different or the same. The catheter shaft may be formed by stepwise extrusion, co-extrusion, and/or reflow processes.

Expandable sheaths are disclosed herein. In some aspects, the sheath comprises at least one plurality of struts arranged to form an expandable cylindrical frame such that the formed frame is kink resistant. The disclosed frames are configured to expand from a first diameter d.sub.1 in an unexpanded position to a second diameter d.sub.2 an expanded position upon passage of a medical device, while maintaining the kink resistance. Also disclosed are methods of making the same.

Methods and devices related to fluid delivery catheters and more particularly relates to catheters used to deliver fluid to medical devices and/or position medical devices.

In some examples a catheter includes an inner liner, an outer jacket, and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and at least a portion of the outer jacket. A first portion of the structural support member has a first residual stress and a second portion of the structural support member has a second residual stress, greater than the first residual stress. The second portion of the structural support member includes a percent cold work greater than about 20%.

A catheter having a proximal end portion having gaps between axially adjacent portions of an element wire where an inner layer is joined to an outer layer through the gaps; and a distal end portion where the axially adjacent portions of the element wire come into contact with each other, and a cavity is provided between the inner layer and a coil body. The catheter has excellent followability to a guide wire and is capable of efficiently transmitting a pushing force and/or rotational force from an operator to the distal end of the catheter.

An endoscope system is provided, which comprises an endoscope having a hollow tube formed therein, a flexible elongate member having a first end for operational control and a second distal end for operation of robotic members, one or more actuators coupleable to the flexible elongate member at the first end thereof, and an anti-buckling tube arranged with respect to the hollow tube at the first end of the endoscope to prevent buckling of the flexible elongate member during translation of the one or more actuators. Different embodiments are also disclosed, including an endoscope comprising one or more flexible tendons having a wire coil sheath which includes wire having a substantially rectangular cross section, or an endoscope comprising a rotational-motion transmitting device, one or more flexible tendons and one or more electrical wires having anti-kink support thereon, a coupling means constraining the robotic member to an asymmetric range of motion, or torque joint means comprising a centrally aligned pulley for coupling the robotic member.

Disclosed herein is a drug-coated balloon catheter including: a hub; a soft tip; a tube which connects the hub and the soft tip and is formed of a material having higher rigidity than the soft tip; and a balloon which is mounted on the tube and coated with a drug on the surface, wherein the tube includes: a guide lumen which allows a guide wire to be movable, the guide wire being inserted into a blood vessel via the hub; and an injection lumen into which a contrast medium is injected, the contrast medium being injected into the balloon through the hub or discharged therefrom, wherein the injection lumen includes: a flow center which is a portion corresponding to a width of the guide lumen; and a pair of bend supports which is extended beyond both end portions of the guide lumen on both sides of the flow center and deformed in response to bending of the tube, and the injection lumen has a cross-sectional area more than a half of a cross-sectional area of the guide lumen.

An endoscope system is provided, which comprises an endoscope having a hollow tube formed therein, a flexible elongate member having a first end for operational control and a second distal end for operation of robotic members, one or more actuators coupleable to the flexible elongate member at the first end thereof, and an anti-buckling tube arranged with respect to the hollow tube at the first end of the endoscope to prevent buckling of the flexible elongate member during translation of the one or more actuators. Different embodiments are also disclosed, including an endoscope comprising one or more flexible tendons having a wire coil sheath which includes wire having a substantially rectangular cross section, or an endoscope comprising a rotational-motion transmitting device, one or more flexible tendons and one or more electrical wires having anti-kink support thereon, a coupling means constraining the robotic member to an asymmetric range of motion, or torque joint means comprising a centrally aligned pulley for coupling the robotic member.

The present invention pertains to medical devices. More specifically, the present application is related to an aspiration catheter for a medical clot removal system and to a clot removal system comprising such an aspiration catheter. An aspiration catheter for a clot removal system has a distal section and a proximal section, wherein, in the distal section, a ratio of an outer diameter (D.sub.d) and an open lumen inner diameter (ID) is in a range between 1.05 and 1.09, and wherein a volume of the aspiration catheter is in a range between 0.2 cubic inches and 0.4 cubic inches.

A retrieval probe for insertion of a bridle into a nasal passageway of a patient is provided. The retrieval probe includes a proximal end and a distal end, a catheter between the proximal end and the distal end, an inner core within a lumen of the catheter, and a magnetic tip disposed at the proximal end. The catheter includes a hollow section disposed between the magnetic portion and a distal end of the stiff inner core. The hollow section may be flexible and can be configured to bend at an angle of about 180 degrees. The system for securing a nasal tube can include a bridle having a magnetic connection portion; and a retrieval probe as described above. The magnetic connection portion of the bridle and the magnetic tip of the retrieval probe can be configured to magnetically couple during a procedure for inserting the bridle in a nasal passageway of a patient.