In some examples of a method of forming a catheter, a structural support member is positioned over an inner liner. Prior to being positioned over the inner liner, the structural support member tapers in diameter along at least a portion of a length of the structural support member.

A catheter includes an elongated shaft extending in a longitudinal direction and possessing an outer surface, the shaft possessing a distal end, a proximal end and a proximal portion which includes the proximal end, a transverse direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the elongated shaft being an elongated tubular body having a lumen formed therein, and a tubular hub fixed by insert molding to the outer surface of the shaft along the proximal portion of the shaft. The hub possesses a residual stress at one predetermined location of the hub that exceeds the residual stress of the hub at each of: (i) a first position distal to the one predetermined location, (ii) a second position proximal to the one predetermined location, and (iii) a third position being at the one predetermined location in the longitudinal direction and spaced apart from the one predetermined location in the transverse direction.

Disclosed herein are expandable introducer sheaths and methods of making and using the same. The sheaths minimize trauma to a patient's vasculature by allowing for temporary expansion of a portion of the sheath to accommodate passage of a delivery system for a cardiovascular device, then return to a non-expanded state after the passage of the device. The sheath includes an elongated annular member through which the cardiovascular device and its delivery system pass. In an embodiment, the annular inner member can be formed by coextruding a first and second material. The first material includes a fold, and the second material radially spaces the different parts of the fold from each other during fabrication and provides support for maintaining the tubular structure. The second material is removed once the coextrusion process is complete.

Disclosed herein are sterilized medical coiled tubing and process for producing the same. One process comprises: helically winding a length of the medical tubing along a mandrel such that adjacent turns of the medical tubing are in contact with each other; applying solvent where the turns of the medical tubing contact each other to produce coiled medical tubing; allowing the solvent to dry; removing the medical tubing from the mandrel after the solvent has dried; and subjecting the medical tubing to a sterilization process using ethylene oxide with in-chamber aeration.

Systems and methods for manufacturing elongate medical devices including internal components embedded between multiple jacket layers. The system including a heating cartridge, a heating element, a filament handling system, a substrate handling system, and a controller to feed and melt each of the filaments for forming the multiple jacket layers. The system may include a single heating cartridge adapted to make multiple passes to form a first and second jacket or multiple heating cartridges that sequentially form a first and second jacket.

A single or multiple lumen catheter is disclosed which includes an expandable lumen. The expandable lumen is movable from a collapsed or sealed configuration to an open or expanded configuration. In the open configuration, the expandable lumen is dimensioned to receive a guidewire or stylet or facilitate the introduction of fluids into a patient.

A catheter assembly for navigation including a flexible catheter having a proximal portion adjacent a proximal end and a distal portion adjacent a distal end and defining a longitudinal axis, the flexible catheter defining a lumen extending therethrough along a longitudinal axis and configured to enable translation of an instrument from the proximal end to the distal end. The flexible catheter defines a compound curve formed on the distal portion, wherein the compound curve includes an elbow bend and a radially curved portion. The elbow bend deflecting the distal portion of the flexible catheter from the longitudinal axis, while the radially curved portion extends from the elbow bend farther deflecting the distal portion about a center point. The catheter guide assembly for navigation includes a control handle disposed at the proximal end of the flexible catheter and is configured to advance and rotate the flexible catheter within a luminal structure.

With smaller gauge catheters, forming distal tip structures, termed “tipping,” can be increasingly challenging. The thin wall-thicknesses of these small gauge catheters provide a reduced cross-sectional surface area with which to couple the distal tip structure to. This increases the risk of failure of the device either during manufacture or during use. To address the foregoing, embodiments include forming and placing a spiral plug within a lumen of a proximal section of the catheter. The spiral plug co-operates with the catheter to provide an increased wall thickness and an increased cross-sectional surface area with which to couple a distal tip structure thereto. Further the spiral plug can align the lumen of the catheter body with a lumen of the distal tip structure. The spiral plug can be sacrificial and provide increased material across the joint, mitigating joint failure.

A catheter includes an elongated shaft extending in a longitudinal direction and possessing an outer surface, the shaft possessing a distal end, a proximal end and a proximal portion which includes the proximal end, a transverse direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the elongated shaft being an elongated tubular body having a lumen formed therein, and a tubular hub fixed by insert molding to the outer surface of the shaft along the proximal portion of the shaft. The hub possesses a residual stress at one predetermined location of the hub that exceeds the residual stress of the hub at each of: (i) a first position distal to the one predetermined location, (ii) a second position proximal to the one predetermined location, and (iii) a third position being at the one predetermined location in the longitudinal direction and spaced apart from the one predetermined location in the transverse direction.

In some examples, a catheter flaring device includes a housing and a pin. The housing includes an interior surface defining a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of a catheter having an entry port and engage an exterior surface of the catheter proximate the entry port. The pin is configured to be advanced into the entry port of the catheter to increase a cross-sectional dimension of the entry port. Flaring the entry port may help reduce catching of a medical device on the entry port of the catheter during a medical procedure.