Catheter stiffeners

摘要

A catheter assembly including a wire stiffener or a dilator and modified wire stiffener which are used in combination to assist in the insertion of a relatively soft catheter into the patient wherein the wire stiffener temporarily stiffens the catheter and the modified wire stiffener temporarily stiffens the dilator for insertion of the combined wire stiffener and dilator into the catheter. The catheter preferably includes one or more lumens therein and includes an end opening and one or more side openings thereon.