TRANSITION SECTION FOR A CATHETER

摘要

A catheter having a proximal shaft (128) defining a guidewire lumen (230) and an inflation lumen. The inflation lumen is arcuate shaped and reinforced with a tube (435) having an arcuate shaped cross-section or another reinforcing means (436, 474). The catheter also has a distal shaft, with a greater flexibility than the proximal shaft. The catheter also has a transition section. A proximal end of the transition section communicates with the proximal shaft, and a distal end communicating with the distal shaft. The transition section has a gradually increased flexibility from its proximal end to its distal end. The transition section includes a transition means creating the increased flexibility.