Large diameter delivery catheter/sheath

A method of manufacturing an introducer sheath, comprising the steps of:

• positioning an inner tube over a mandril, said inner tube having a substantially uniform diameter of from about 14 to 36 French;
• positioning a coil over said inner tube, said coil having a plurality of turns, said turns having substantially uniform spacings therebetween;
• positioning a polymeric radiopaque marker tube over said inner tube adjacent a distal end of said coil;
• positioning a polymeric outer tube over said inner tube, coil and marker tube to comprise a sheath assembly;
• positioning a heat shrink tube over the sheath assembly;
• heating said heat shrink tube and said sheath assembly so that a portion of said outer tube melts and flows between said coil turns to bond with said inner tube, and so that marker tube is bonded to said outer tube;
• and
• removing said mandril and said heat shrink tube from said sheath.

A method of manufacturing an introducer sheath, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a lubricious inner tube over a mandril, said inner tube having a substantially uniform inner diameter of from about 16 to 30 French, said inner tube having a wall thickness between about 0.001 and 0.01 inch (0.025 and 0.25 mm);
• positioning a coil over said inner tube, said coil having a plurality of turns extending longitudinally around a length of said inner tube, and a plurality of spacings between said turns, said spacings having a generally uniform width along said inner tube length;
• positioning a polymeric outer tube over said inner tube and coil, said outer tube having a durometer of about 30 to 60 on the Shore D hardness scale, and having a wall thickness between about 0.004 and 0.014 inch (0.10 and 0.36 mm);
• positioning a heat shrink tube over a sheath assembly comprising the inner tube, coil, and outer tube;
• heating said heat shrink tube and sheath assembly so that a portion of said outer tube melts and flows between said coil turns to bond with an outer surface of the inner tube;
• and
• removing said mandril and said heat shrink tube.

A method of manufacturing an introducer sheath, comprising the steps of:

• positioning an inner tube over a mandril, said inner tube having a substantially uniform inner diameter of from about 18 to 24 French, said inner tube having a wall thickness between about 0.001 and 0.01 inch (0.025 and 0.25 mm);
• positioning a flat wire coil over said inner tube, said flat wire coil having a plurality of turns having substantially uniform spacings therebetween, wherein said width of said coil spacings is about 0.012 inch (0.3 mm), a proximal end of said coil being spaced from a proximal end of said sheath by about 1.2 inches (3.1), and a distal end of said coil is spaced from a distal end of said sheath by about 0.8 inch (2 cm);
• positioning a polymeric radiopaque marker tube over said inner tube adjacent a distal end of said flat wire coil, said marker tube comprising a high density radiopaque material ranging between about 40 and 90 weight percent of a total weight of the marker tube;
• positioning a polymeric outer tube over said inner tube, coil, and marker tube, said outer tube having a durometer between about 35 and 50 on the Shore D hardness scale, and having a wall thickness between about 0.004 and 0.014 inch (0.10 and 0.36 mm);
• positioning a heat shrink tube over the outer tube, coil, marker tube, and inner tube;
• heating said heat shrink tube so that a portion of said outer tube melts and flows between said coil turns to bond with said inner tube, and so that said marker tube bonds to said outer tube;
• and
• removing said mandril and said heat shrink tube.