Catheter

A retention catheter, comprising:

• an elongated shaft comprising an extruded tube having an outer surface, a distal end, a drainage lumen extending to the distal end of the tube, an inflation lumen extending through the wall of the tube to the distal end of the tube, and an opening extending through the wall of the tube communicating between the inflation lumen and the outer surface of the tube, said opening being spaced from the distal end of the tube;
• a tip secured to the tube adjacent its distal end, said tip having an outer surface, a drainage eye communicating with the drainage lumen of said tube, and an annular shoulder at the proximal end of the tip, the axially-facing surface of said shoulder abutting against and being secured to the distal end of said tube, and with said shoulder closing a distal end of the inflation lumen;
• and
• an expansible annular sleeve of one-piece construction with said tip, said sleeve extending from the tip adjacent said shoulder at the outer surface of the tip, the distal end of said sleeve being located at a juncture with said shoulder, said sleeve distal end including an interior surface which is secured to the outer surface of the tube distal end, and the proximal end of the sleeve being secured to the outer surface of the tube circumferentially around the shaft, said opening being located intermediate said sleeve distal and proximal ends, said shoulder and sleeve distal end being arranged to enshroud said tube distal end thus to provide a catheter tip structure less likely to be separated from said tube during use, said opening communicating between the inflation lumen and the outer surface of the tube being located at a point remote from said tube distal end, where said tube distal end is secured to said shoulder axially-facing surface, and remote from said sleeve proximal end, where said sleeve proximal end is secured to the outer surface of said tube, whereby the patency of said opening will not be compromised during the assembly of said tip with said tube.