Disclosed are guidewire and catheter systems that can be used to facilitate desirable catheter axial response (e.g., pushability) over a guidewire for advancement through patient vasculature. Features of the guidewire and catheter systems enable the catheter to advance over the guidewire within the tortuous paths of a patient's vasculature in response to push forces that do not exceed 50 g.

A treatment method involves introducing a catheter into a blood vessel in an arm of the patient and is advanced to position the distal end of the catheter in a blood vessel in a lower limb on one side of the patient's body. A treatment device is inserted into the catheter and advanced to a treatment target in the lower limb on the one side of the patient's body. The catheter is then moved to shift the distal end of the catheter from the blood vessel in the lower limb on the one side of the patient's body to a blood vessel in the lower limb on the other side of the patient's body. A treatment instrument can then be introduced into the catheter and advanced to carry out treatment on a treatment target in the lower limb on the other side of the patient's body.

A guiding sheath has a braided layer for improved deflection characteristics and ring electrodes for electrical sensing, mapping and visualization, wherein lead wires for the ring electrodes are passed through lumened tubing position under the braided layer in a proximal portion of the guiding sheath shaft and above the braided layer in a distal portion of the guiding sheath shaft. Moreover, the hemostatic valve includes an improved friction ring with air vents to reduce the risk of air being introduced into the valve.

A method of removing embolic material from a vessel with mechanical and aspiration assistance. The method comprises the steps of providing an aspiration catheter having a central lumen and a distal end, advancing the distal end of the aspiration catheter to obstructive material in a vessel, applying vacuum to the central lumen to draw clot into the central lumen, introducing a thrombus engagement tool into the central lumen, and manually manipulating the tip to engage clot between the tip and an inside wall of the central lumen.

Embodiments herein relate to catheters including multiple braid layers. In an embodiment, a catheter is included having a catheter body, the catheter body can include a proximal end portion; a distal end portion; an inner liner; and a braided structure, the braided structure can include an inner braid layer, the inner braid layer can include a first set of inner wires; and a second set of inner wires; an outer braid layer, the outer braid layer can include a first set of outer wires; and a second set of outer wires; wherein the braided structure is disposed over the inner liner; wherein the first set of inner wires are larger than the second set of inner wires; and wherein the first set of outer wires are larger than the second set of outer wires. Other embodiments are also included herein.

Discussed herein are various embodiments related to a catheter assembly. The catheter assembly can include a catheter body extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion. The catheter body can include a sleeve and a hypotube, connected by at least one bond site, and separated by a floating gap. The hypotube can include at least one flow opening extending from the hypotube lumen to a stagnation zone, configured to permit flow between the stagnation zone and the hypotube lumen.

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.

A method of manufacturing a catheter shaft includes extruding an inner polymeric layer having a main lumen and two or more side lumens spaced about the main lumen; forming an outer polymeric layer about the inner polymeric layer; and inserting at least one elongate member, such as a wire, through each side lumen of the inner polymeric layer. The side lumens are less than about ⅕ the size of the main lumen. The method may further include the step of forming a braided layer between the inner polymeric layer and the outer polymeric layer. In an alternate embodiment, the method includes co-extruding an inner polymeric layer and a multi-lumen layer, the multi-lumen layer having two or more side lumens; forming an outer polymeric layer about the multi-lumen layer; and inserting at least one elongate member through each side lumen. Catheter assemblies made according to the described methods are also disclosed.

A microcatheter comprising an inner layer, a strike layer and an outer layer and a braided skeleton located between the inner layer and the outer layer, wherein the inner layer is made of Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and has a thickness of 0.0015 inch or less, wherein the strike layer includes a polyether block amide and has a thickness of 0.001 inch or less, and wherein a distal portion of said outer layer is made of polycarbonate-based thermoplastic polyurethane having a shore of 90A or below.

An elastic percutaneous elastic introducer sheath is disclosed which can locally expand and reduce to accommodate a transcatheter medical device. The elastic introducer sheath includes a non-circumferentially continuous elastic frame, a liner, and a jacket.