Process for producing steerable sheath catheters

A method to manufacture a steerable sheath catheter, the method including placing an inner liner over a mandrel, placing a pull wire on the inner liner, placing a wire braid over the inner liner and pull wire, placing an outerjacket over the wire braid, pull wire and liner, deforming the outer jacket with heat into a uniformly circular outer cross-sectional shape, the improvement comprising:

• utilizing an outer jacket wherein the outer jacket is thicker at one cross-sectional portion and thinner at another cross-sectional portion;
• positioning the outer jacket over the wire braid and pull wire so that the thicker cross-sectional portion is over the pull wire.

In a process for making a steerable catheter wherein the catheter has an inner liner, a wire braid, an outer jacket and a pull wire, the improvement comprising:

• extruding the outerjacket, wherein the jacket is thicker at one cross-sectional portion and thinner approximately 180° therefrom;
• disposing a pull wire between the inner liner and the thicker cross-sectional portion of the outer jacket;
• deforming the outer jacket with heat into a circular outer cross-sectional shape.

A method to manufacture a steerable sheath catheter, the catheter including an inner liner, a pull wire, a wire braid surrounding the inner liner, and an outer jacket surrounding the wire braid, the improvement comprising:

• placing the wire braid on a core material,
• heat treating an end portion of the wire braid,
• removing the core material.

A method to manufacture a steerable sheath catheter, the catheter including:

• an inner liner, a wire braid surrounding the inner liner, an outer wall laminated to surround the wire braid and a pull wire;
• the improvement comprising:
• heat treating an end portion of the wire braid.

A steerable sheath catheter, the catheter including a pull wire, a wire braid and an outer jacket surrounding the wire braid and pull wire,

• wherein the end portions of the wire braid are heat treated.