Disclosed are microcatheter devices with features that provide effective axial response, good distribution of bending forces, and a smooth bending stiffness profile that minimizes abrupt changes in stiffness. A catheter device includes a microfabricated inner shaft having a plurality of gaps, and an outer member comprising a polymer material disposed within the gaps. The catheter device provides non-linear bending stiffness such that bending becomes more difficult as the bend angle increases.

In some examples, a catheter includes an elongated body comprising proximal and distal portions. The distal portion of the elongated body comprises an inner liner that includes a proximal liner section and a distal liner section that include different materials, and an outer jacket positioned over the inner liner. The distal liner section has a first hardness and the proximal liner section has a second hardness, where the first hardness is less than the second hardness.

A catheter for insertion into a vessel of a subject, the catheter including an elongate body extending between a proximal end configured to be attached to a hub and a distal end configured to be inserted into the vessel of the subject, the body having, a tip portion at the distal end, the tip portion having an external tapered profile and including an outlet and a lumen extending from the proximal end to the outlet. The lumen is angled to direct flow from the outlet at an angle offset from an axis of the catheter and/or at least part of the body includes a vessel contacting portion that is softer than other parts of the catheter.

The subject guide catheter extension/pre-dilatation system includes an outer delivery sheath, an inner member extending within the sheath, and a mechanism for engagement/disengagement of the inner member to/from the sheath. The inner member is configured with a tapered distal tip having a delivery micro-catheter and a pre-dilatation balloon member attached to the tapered distal tip in proximity to the micro-catheter. The outer delivery sheath and the inner member are modified for different engagement/disengagement mechanisms operation. The delivery micro-catheter provides for an improved crossability for the balloon member to the treatment site in an atraumatic, expedited and convenient fashion. During the cardiac procedure, a guidewire and a guide catheter are advanced to the vicinity of the treatment site within a blood vessel. Subsequent thereto, the inner member and outer delivery sheath, in their engaged configuration, are advanced along the guidewire inside the guide catheter towards the site of treatment. Once at the treatment site, the balloon member is inflated for pre-dilatation treatment. Subsequently, the inner member is disengaged and retracted from the outer delivery sheath, and a stent is delivered to the treatment site inside the outer delivery sheath.

Catheters including an improved structure for effectively draining fluids from the urethra, that assist in reducing the likelihood of UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) by flushing the urethra during catheterization.

A balloon catheter includes a shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion located on a proximal side of the first shaft portion, and a balloon covering and joined to the second shaft portion. The first shaft portion is more flexible than the second shaft portion and has a length in an axial direction of 1.5 cm or more.

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 balloon catheter having a distal-end tip which, even if caught in a stenosis, will not break apart from a distal end of an inner shaft of the balloon catheter when the balloon catheter is forcibly rotated or pulled by an operator. The distal-end tip of the balloon catheter is fixed to the distal end of the inner shaft, and a connecting tube covers an outer surface of the distal end of the inner shaft and a proximal end of the distal-end tip. An inwardly protruding portion of the connecting tube is embedded into the distal-end tip. This creates an anchoring effect and increases a welding area between an outer surface of the distal-end tip and an inner surface of the connecting tube, thereby reducing a risk that the distal-end tip will break apart from the distal end of the inner shaft.

An occlusion catheter system includes a proximal hub having an inflation connection port and an inflation pathway. An inflation catheter member is connected to the proximal hub and has an inflation lumen. A stiffener member defines a longitudinal axis. The proximal end of the stiffener member is connected to the proximal hub. The stiffener member extends through a portion of the inflation lumen. An occlusion balloon has a proximal balloon end and a distal balloon end. A distal catheter member is positioned substantially on the longitudinal axis and is connected to the distal end of the stiffener member. An atraumatic tip is positioned on a distal end of the distal catheter member. The atraumatic tip has a substantially circular profile in a relaxed configuration. A pressure sensor is connected to the occlusion catheter system distally relative to the occlusion balloon and is connected to a processor by electrical wiring.

Described herein are various embodiments of flexible catheters comprising one or more flexibility regions. In one embodiment, a catheter comprises an elongate body having a proximal segment and a distal segment; a first lumen defined by the elongate body and configured for drainage of a liquid from a bodily region; and a plurality of flexibility regions on or in the distal segment of the elongate body. The plurality of flexibility regions, collectively, is configured to passively bend anteriorly. Further, at least one of the plurality of flexibility regions has a defined percent volume of material removed and a defined cut depth percentage. The features and arrangement of the flexibility regions described herein result in the catheter requiring reduced force during insertion into a bodily lumen.