Dialysis Catheters with Fluoropolymer Additives

Abstract

A venous access catheter shaft and method of using and manufacturing such a catheter is provided. In one aspect of the invention, a catheter is provided comprising a base polymer having a Shore A durometer of 85A or lower, with 2.0% percent by weight of surface modifier, and a radiopaque filler comprising between 20-40 percentage by weight. In another aspect of the invention, a method reducing thrombus accumulation on a venous access catheter is provided wherein the catheter surface's resistance to thrombus formation is enhanced during indwell time by lowering the durometer rating of the base polymer of the catheter without increasing the amount of surface modifier additive. In another aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a catheter shaft is provided, wherein the shaft is formed comprising a base polymer having a Shore A durometer of 85A or lower, with 2.0% percent by weight of surface modifier, and a radiopaque filler comprising 30% by weight barium sulfate, and optionally a colorant of 0.2% weight.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.