In some examples, a catheter comprises an inner liner, an outer jacket, and a structural support member positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and the outer jacket. The inner liner, the outer jacket, and the structural support member define a catheter body that comprises a proximal portion having a first outer diameter, a distal portion having a second outer diameter less than the first outer diameter, the distal portion including a distal end of the catheter body, and a medial portion positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion, the medial portion tapering from the first outer diameter to the second outer diameter.

A closed-system urinary catheter with a low viscosity gel lubrication is disclosed. The system has an uncoated catheter, but a hydrophilic coated catheter could be used. The low viscosity lubricating gel within the sachet uniformly coats the catheter when the sachet is ruptured just prior to use. A low viscosity lubrication gel could alternatively be place in the area inside the sheath and external to the catheter. Therefore, the variability that occurs with a hydrophilic catheter or the areas of a non-lubricated catheter with the higher viscosity gel catheters is avoided.

A catheter may include a distal side and a proximal side comprising a shaft having an outer tubular member, and an insertion member. The catheter may have at least a part of the insertion member in an axial direction disposed in the outer tubular member. At least one outer tubular member or insertion member is a multilayer tube having a first layer and a second layer laminated with the first layer. In a cross-section perpendicular to an axial direction of the multilayer tube, a ratio of cross-sectional areas of the second layer to the first layer is 0.7 or less.

Described herein are devices and methods for guide catheters having one or more regions of increased flexibility. A flexibility region comprises one tubular segment of the guide catheter with a non-linear seam between two non-concentric layers of material having different durometers. A non-linear seam, such as a zig-zag or sinusoidal configuration, permits controlled compression of lower durometer material between portions of higher durometer material.

A microcatheter system is disclosed which may include a microcatheter, one or more microcatheter extensions, and/or a microcatheter hub. In an embodiment, the microcatheter has a plurality of zones where the outside diameter of each zone from the distal to the proximal end has an outside diameter that is the same as or greater than the previous zone while the inside diameter is constant throughout the microcatheter length. In a further embodiment, a unique joining mechanism is employed for coupling a microcatheter to a microcatheter extension or to a microcatheter hub.

An enhanced flexibility catheter shaft having an elongate flexible body with a proximal end, a distal end, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A distal, flexible section on the body has a ribbed or corrugated tubular membrane having at least a first reinforcement structure, such as a first helical support, on a radially exterior or interior surface of the membrane and optionally a second reinforcement structure, such as a second helical support, on the other of the radially interior or exterior surface of the membrane

A catheter 30 includes a tube 31 provided with a tubular reinforcing member 311 having a plurality of wires W braided to intersect one another and a plastic layer 312 that covers the reinforcing member. The catheter 30 includes a pair of rings 32 and 33 configured to sandwich a distal end 311A of the reinforcing member from the inner periphery and the outer periphery.

A device and system for providing a centered lumen within a catheter body. A coiled guide lumen (CGL) is composed of a length of wire forming a plurality of coils about the longitudinal axis of the CGL, the CGL including one or more first sections having a first diameter and one or more sections having a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter, and a secondary guide lumen extending through the first sections. The CGL may include at least one pull wire extending through the secondary guide lumen and attached at the distal portion of the catheter body. A band may be coupled to an interior of the catheter body distal portion, each of the pull wires being coupled to the annular band. Alternatively, the system may further include a shim coupled to the band, each of the pulls wire being coupled to the shim.

A balloon guide catheter system including a balloon guide catheter having a catheter shaft that includes: (i) a main lumen; (ii) an inflation lumen; and (iii) an exhaust lumen. The terminating distal end of the inflation lumen and the terminating distal end of the exhaust lumen being in localized fluid communication with one another underneath the balloon while in a non-inflated state. A balloon is disposed about a distal region of an outer surface of the catheter shaft. The exhaust lumen is configured to purge the residual air in a proximal direction and out from a proximal region of the balloon guide catheter.

Catheter shafts and associated devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein. A representative catheter in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure includes a generally tubular outer structure and an inner structure surrounded by the outer structure. The inner structure surrounds a catheter lumen. The inner structure includes over-lapping edges such that, when the catheter is bent along its longitudinal axis, the over-lapping edges move relative to one another.