FLEXIBLE CATHETER SHAFT AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

摘要

The present disclosure provides a strong, flexible catheter shaft for use in a catheter system. The flexible catheter shaft includes a braided polyimide tube including one or more outer layers of material of varying flexibility. The flexible catheter shaft provides a shaft having sufficient stiffness and kink resistance to allow an operator to advance an electrode basket connected to the flexible catheter shaft through a guide catheter to a target ablation site without causing vessel trauma. The distal tip of the flexible catheter shaft is designed to have sufficient flexibility to reduce any risk of kicking out a guide catheter when tracking the electrode basket around turns into side branches or bifurcations in the vasculature of a patient and includes a distal spring coil.

主权项

1. A catheter shaft comprising a braided polyimide tube having a proximal portion and a distal portion, a substrate layer disposed within the braided polyimide tube, a spring coil disposed within the substrate layer and including a section extending past a distal end of the distal portion of the braided polyimide tube, and an outer spring coil disposed over at least a portion of the section of the spring coil extending past the distal end of the distal portion of the braided polyimide tube, wherein the proximal portion of the braided polyimide tube is covered by a first coating, wherein the distal portion of the braided polyimide tube and the outer spring coil is covered by a second coating, and wherein a pocket extends past a distal end of the outer spring coil.