The invention comprises an indwelling medical device which is capable of delivering a therapeutic agent evenly along the length of the indwelling portion, including the outer wall, of the device.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a steerable instrument for endoscopic and/or invasive type applications, the instrument including an elongated tubular body having a proximal end part, a distal end part and an intermediate part between proximal and distal end parts, the proximal end part having at least one actuation proximal zone. The distal end part has at least one flexible distal zone, and the elongated tubular body is configured such that a movement of an actuation proximal zone is transferred to a corresponding flexible distal zone for a corresponding movement thereof. The elongated tubular body includes an inner, outer, and intermediate cylindrical elements having longitudinal elements between the inner and outer cylindrical elements. Inner, outer and intermediate cylindrical elements are coupled so movement of an actuation proximal zone is transferred by the longitudinal elements of one of the intermediate cylindrical elements to a corresponding flexible distal zone.

An elongate medical device shaft may comprise an elongate body and an annular electrode disposed on the elongate body. The annular electrode may define a longitudinal axis and have an outer diameter. The outer diameter may be greater at an axial center of the electrode than at an axial end of the electrode. Additionally or alternatively, the elongate body may comprise three longitudinal sections having three wall thicknesses. The middle wall thickness may be less than the proximal and distal wall thicknesses and the distal wall thickness may be less than the proximal wall thickness. Additionally or alternatively, the shaft may comprise an inner cylindrical structure and an outer tube. The outer tube may comprise a first radial layer and a second radial layer that is radially-outward of the first radial layer, the first radial layer, second radial layer, and inner structure having different stiffnesses.

The disclosure relates to cannulae, delivery systems, methods of making cannulae, and methods of making delivery systems. A delivery system comprises an elongate outer tubular member defining an outer tubular member lumen, a cannula having a circumferential wall extending between a proximal end and a distal end and defining an interior lumen, and an intraluminal medical device disposed within the outer tubular member lumen distal to the cannula and not about the cannula. A pattern of openings arranged in an interrupted spiral extends circumferentially along the cannula.

A balloon catheter is provided with a main tube and an air tube therein. The main tube is provided with a central lumen to allow the balloon catheter to travel across and be guided along a guidewire during insertion into a vasculature of a patient. The air tube is configured to transfer fluid, such as air, to a balloon for inflating and deflating the balloon. The air tube can be embedded within the inner and outer surfaces of the main tube. Holes are cut into the main tube and a portion of the air tube to expose the air tube to the environment outside of the main tube. The holes allow for fluid communication between the air tube and the balloon. The holes are cut or sheared at a direction that is lateral to the longitudinal direction of the catheter tube.

Disclosed herein is a method comprising transporting a conduit and a template through a guide tube; the template being disposed on an outer surface of the conduit between the conduit and the guide tube; and transferring a texture from the template to the conduit as the conduit and the template are transported through the guide tube. Disclosed herein too is an apparatus comprising a guide tube; the guide tube being operative to facilitate a transfer of a pattern from a template to a conduit; a first feed spool and a first take-up spool for feeding the conduit through the guide tube and for taking up the conduit after it has travelled through the guide tube respectively; and a second feed spool and a second take-up spool for feeding the template through the guide tube and for taking up the template after it has travelled through the guide tube respectively.

An instrument (203; 204) for endoscopic applications. The instrument is able to be guided through a curved shaped tube (201; 202) and has an intermediate cylindrical element (3) with a handling end portion with a flexible portion and actuating means located at an actuating end portion. The intermediate cylindrical element (3) has a first cylindrical part (31; 151) at the handling end portion, a second cylindrical part (35; 155) at the actuating end portion and a number of longitudinal elements (38; 60; 70; 80; 90; 100; 110; 130; 153) for transferring the movement of the actuating means to the handling end portion. The longitudinal elements are separated by longitudinal slits in the intermediate cylindrical element.

A medical shaft includes a shaft including at least one lumen extending in a longitudinal direction; a core member disposed in the lumen, the core member extending along the longitudinal direction; and a tubular member disposed on an outer side of the core member in a same lumen as a lumen in which the core member is disposed, the tubular member having a length, in the longitudinal direction, which is less than a length of the core member, wherein in the lumen, an area of a cross-section of the lumen on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in a portion in which the tubular member is disposed is greater than an area of a cross section of the lumen on a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in a portion in which the tubular member is not disposed.

An apparatus includes a tube configured for insertion into a body of a subject, the tube comprising a plurality of strips, which are angled obliquely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube, by virtue of the tube being shaped to define a plurality of slits having respective oblique proximal ends and respective oblique distal ends. The distal end of each of the slits is nested between the proximal end of a first other one of the slits and the proximal end of a second other one of the slits such that (i) one of the strips is disposed between the distal end of the slit and the proximal end of the first other one of the slits, and (ii) another one of the strips is disposed between the distal end of the slit and the proximal end of the second other one of the slits.

Methods described herein can include drawing materials to form a drawn filled tubing (DFT) wire. The materials can include a core material, a first layer of a biocompatible material disposed exterior to the filler material, a magnetic material disposed external to the first layer of biocompatible material, and a second layer of biocompatible material disposed exterior to the magnetic material. In some embodiments, the method further comprises melting the core material to form a magnet with a through hole lumen. In some embodiments, the method can further include applying an external magnetic field to the materials during the drawing to align grains of the magnetic material. In some embodiments, the core material can have a melting point lower than a melting point of the magnetic material and the biocompatible material.