Tissue-removing cathether with flexible distal tip

A tissue-removing catheter for removing tissue in a body lumen, the tissue-removing catheter comprising:

• an elongate drive member having an axis and proximal and distal end portions spaced apart from one another along the axis, the elongate drive member being sized and shaped to be received in the body lumen and configured to be rotated about the axis;
• a tissue-removing element operatively coupled to the distal end portion of the elongate drive member, the tissue-removing element being configured to be rotated by the elongate drive member to remove the tissue in the body lumen;
• and
• a distal tip extending distally outward from the tissue-removing element and being configured to be more flexible than the tissue-removing element, wherein the distal tip has a proximal end portion coupled to the tissue-removing element and a distal end portion spaced distally from the tissue-removing element, the distal tip defining a tip opening extending through the proximal and distal end portions,
• wherein the distal tip comprises a polymeric material,
• wherein the distal tip has a tapering portion defining a wall thickness that tapers toward the distal end portion of the distal tip to promote flexing of the distal tip.