A catheter has a catheter tube made of plastic with a closed catheter tip. At least one passage opening is formed in a section of a sheath wall adjacent to the catheter tip. The passage opening merges into the outer sheath wall of the catheter tube via rounded edge regions. The result is a catheter whose insertion into a body cavity is facilitated.

A catheter assembly is constructed by reflow bonding an inner liner and an outer layer. The inner liner defines at least one lumen. The inner liner is made of a gamma-irradiated polymeric material that includes a polyether block amide and a gamma radiation activated cross-linking agent.

This catheter has: a shaft (2) that has a first end and a second end in the longitudinal direction thereof, has a lumen (3) extending in the longitudinal direction, and has formed therein a side hole (4) being in communication with the lumen (3); a protective tube (10) that is inserted in the side hole (4); a first electrode (20) that is disposed outside the shaft (2); and a wire (30) that is electrically connected to the first electrode (20), passes through the inside of the protective tube (10), and extends into the lumen (3) of the shaft (2).

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.

A catheter is made by coextruding first and second molten polymers, wherein the second molten polymer forms a flexible inner core and the first molten polymer forms exactly two bands on opposite sides of the inner core. The inner core is braided, and a third molten polymer extruded onto the braid to form a flexible jacket that encloses the braid, the bands and the inner core. The bands are more rigid than the inner core, and they provide preferential in-plane bending.

Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a guide extension catheter. The guide extension catheter may include a proximal member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a proximal diameter. The guide extension catheter may additionally include a collar member attached to the distal end of the proximal member, the collar member comprising a base portion and one or more ribs connected to the base portion and extending distally away from the base portion. In still some additional embodiments, the guide extension catheter may further include a distal sheath member attached to the collar member, the distal sheath member having a distal diameter larger than the proximal diameter.

The present application discloses a polyvinyl alcohol composition, as well as a preparation method and polyvinyl alcohol medical catheter containing thereof, wherein raw materials include the following components: 60-90 parts of polyvinyl alcohol; 0.1-3 parts of glutaraldehyde; and the polyvinyl alcohol composition is made by mixing the polyvinyl alcohol in molten state with the glutaraldehyde in an acidic environment.

The present disclosure relates to a splitable introducer sheath assembly and the method of manufacturing the same. The splitable introducer sheath assembly includes a sheath tube, a hub portion, and at least two anchors. The sheath tube includes anchor tabs separately extending from the proximal sheath end. In one embodiment. The anchors secure the respective anchor tabs within the respective first and second hub halves. Alternatively, the hub halves may include a base having a first mating surface and a cap having a second mating surface; the anchor tabs extends within the corresponding one of the base with a proximal end of the anchor tab extending beyond the first mating surface; and the first mating surface of the cap is secured to the second mating surface of the base with the proximal end of the corresponding anchor tab secured therebetween.

A method of making a catheter includes obtaining a hollow tube having a proximal section, a distal section, an elongated conduit, and one or more fluid openings formed in the distal section of the hollow tube that are in fluid communication with the elongated lumen. The method includes inserting a mandrel within the elongated lumen, positioning a first visible marker over an outer surface of the hollow tube at a junction of the proximal and distal sections of the hollow tube, and placing a sacrificial material over the first visible marker to completely cover the first visible marker. Heat is applied for shrinking the sacrificial material, which, in turn, compresses the first visible marker against the outer surface of the hollow tube, and for least partially melting the first visible marker for fusing the first visible marker to the outer surface of the hollow tube.

The invention provides an intermittent catheter comprising a hollow polymeric tubular body comprising a base polymer and a layer comprising a lubricious additive on or comprising a surface of the body, wherein the lubricious additive comprises an amphiphilic molecule.