Methods and devices described for improved dynamic walled tubing and catheters.

Methods and devices described for improved dynamic walled tubing and catheters.

A phacoemulsification cutting tip, including a rigid tubular portion and a flexible and expandable tip portion located distal to the rigid tubular portion. The flexible and expandable tip portion presents an axial length and an unexpanded radius and is formed such that the axial length shortens while the unexpanded radius increases when differential pressure due to an occlusion of an opening of the flexible tip portion exists.

The invention relates to a rod-shaped body (1) comprised of one or more filaments (2) and of a non-ferromagnetic matrix material (3). The matrix material (3) surrounds the filament(s) (1) and/or adheres them to one another. The rod-shaped body is also comprised of a dopant consisting of particles that generate magnetic resonance tomographic artifacts that is introduced into the matrix material (3). Rod-shaped bodies of this type can be used to construct guide wires, catheters and other instruments to be used in minimally invasive surgical interventions.

Thermoplastic elastomer compositions can be used for medical skin contact applications, comprising: a) 90.9 to 69.0 wt.-% star-shaped block copolymer A with 4 arms of the general structure [S.sub.1—(S/B).sub.k—(S/B).sub.I—(S/B).sub.m—S.sub.2].sub.n—X, where S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 are vinylaro-matic hard polymer and S/B are soft random vinylaromatic/diene copolymer blocks; X is a coupling center; and b) 9.1 to 31.0 wt.-% of a plasticizer B: b1) a mixture of mineral oil B1 and cyclohexane 1,2-dicarboxylic acid C.sub.8 to C.sub.10 dialkyl ester B2; or b2) a mixture of mineral oil B1 and vegetable oil B3.

A preparation method comprises following steps: S1: dissolving a coupling agent in an ethanol solution, adding an ultrafine radiopaque agent powder in the ethanol solution, and obtaining a modified ultrafine radiopaque agent powder by agitation, washing and drying, the ultrafine radiopaque agent powder having a particle size of 0.35-0.8 μm; S2: obtaining the radiopaque material by mixing a medical polymeric material with the modified ultrafine radiopaque agent powder. A prepared radiopaque material exhibits not only radiopaque functions but also good mechanical properties of improved elastic modulus, fracture strength and bending modulus, thereby expanding application of medical polymer hollow fibers in high-end medical products for minimally invasive intervention. Particularly, delivery devices applied with prepared radiopaque material have improved pushing and torque performance and are suitable for ultra-smooth guidewires, heart valve prostheses, guiding catheters, and degradable balloons.

The invention relates to a rod-shaped body comprised of one or more filaments and of a non-ferromagnetic matrix material. The matrix material surrounds the filament(s) and/or adheres them to one another. The rod-shaped body is also comprised of a dopant consisting of particles that generate magnetic resonance tomographic artifacts that is introduced into the matrix material. Rod-shaped bodies of this type can be used to construct guide wires, catheters and other instruments to be used in minimally invasive surgical interventions.

A polymeric tubular conduit including a polymeric tubular conduit wall having an outer tubular layer coaxially overlaying an inner tubular layer which defines a continuous tubular passage along a polymeric tubular conduit length of the polymeric tubular conduit; whereby the outer tubular layer, the inner tubular layer, or combinations thereof, include an amount of antimicrobial agent. The amount of antimicrobial agent can be sufficient to kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms in contact with a corresponding polymeric tubular conduit wall external surface, polymeric tubular conduit wall internal surface, or combinations thereof, of the polymeric tubular conduit wall.

Tubing, such as medical tubing for administration of intravenous fluid, can include an outer layer on an inner layer, and, optionally additional layers, in which at least the outer layer and the inner layer are made of a same polymeric material but the outer and inner layers have differing amounts or differing types of a plasticizer such that a hardness of the outer layer is greater than a hardness of the inner layer.

Inserts can be formed with elution characteristics to cause the inserts to elute an antimicrobial agent when subject to a fluid within a medical device. An insert can be formed with a desired geometry to allow the insert to be compression fit within a medical device to prevent the insert from moving or becoming dislodged once inserted into the medical device. The material may also be hygroscopic so that the insert swells when subject to a fluid thereby enhancing the compression fit of the device within the medical device. In some cases, the material can be reinforced using an internal structure. Inserts can be formed in many ways including by casting, thermoforming, or extrusion. In some cases, the inserts can be formed using a peel-away sleeve or material. The peel-away sleeves can be formed of a non-sticky material which facilitates removal of the inserts once the inserts have cured.