| 摘要 |
A catheter 10 has a relatively flexible body 12 formed of a hydrophobic polymer (e.g. silicone rubber), the distal tip portion 14 of which is coated with a hydrophilic polymer to impart, in the dry state, rigidity to the tip portion. When the catheter is in the body the hydrophilic coating absorbs or adsorbs physiological fluid with resultant softening of the coating so as to render the tip portion relatively flexible. The hydrophilic polymer may be formed from N-vinyl pyrrolidone, an acrylate or a methacrylate. <IMAGE> |
