Guiding catheter

In a guiding catheter having distal and proximal ends and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel,

• an elongated tubular member having a slick interior surface,
• a first torque transmitting layer tightly overlaying said elongated tubular member and formed of a flat braided material,
• a second torque transmitting layer tightly overlaying said first torque transmitting layer and formed of a flat braided material,
• a flexible casing that encases and impregnates said first and second torque transmitting layers, and
• an annular soldered band formed near the distal tip of the guiding catheter for sealing the distal end of at least one of said torque transmitting layers, whereby said annular solder ring is adapted for enhancing the catheter's visibility within a body.

In a guiding catheter having distal and proximal ends and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel,

• an elongated tubular member having a slick interior surface,
• a torque transmitting layer overlaying said elongated tubular member and formed of braided material,
• a flexible casing that encases said torque transmitting layer, and
• wherein the distal end of the elongated tubular member is folded over the distal extremity of said torque transmitting layer to provide a smooth distal tip for the guiding catheter.

In a guiding catheter having distal and proximal ends and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel,

• an elongated tubular member having a slick interior surface,
• a torque transmitting layer tightly overlaying said elongated tubular member and formed of a braided material, said torque transmitting layer having distal and proximal ends,
• a flexible casing that encases said torque transmitting layer,
• an annular solder band formed of a material that is radiopaque to X-rays and positioned near the distal tip of the guiding catheter for sealing the distal end of said torque transmitting layer.

A method of fabricating a guiding catheter having distal and proximal ends and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel comprising the steps of:

• placing an elongated tubular member on an extended mandril;
• forming a first torque transmitting layer by braiding a plurality of ribbons about the tubular member;
• forming a second torque transmitting layer by braiding a plurality of flat ribbons about the first torque transmitting layer to form a composite braided structure;
• coating the composite braided structure with a viscous material to form a flexible casing;
• folding the distal portion of the tubular member back upon itself to encase the distal extremity of at least the distal most one of said torque transmitting layers;
• and
• hardening the coating material.

A method of fabricating a guiding catheter having a nonlinear shape and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel, the catheter including an inner tubular member, at least one torque transmitting layer formed of a braided material, and a flexible casing formed of at least one flexible coating material, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming said torque transmitting layer by braiding a plurality of braid strands about the tubular member;
• applying at least one layer of a first viscous coating material about the torque transmitting layers such that a viscous material impregnates and encases the torque transmitting layer;
• hardening the viscous coating material;
• causing the guiding catheter to take substantially its ultimately desired shape for at least a portion of the curing step.

In a guiding catheter having distal and proximal ends and adapted for introduction into a vascular vessel,

• a flexible elongated tubular member having a slick interior surface,
• a first torque transmitting layer tightly overlaying said elongated tubular member and formed of a flat braided material,
• a second torque transmitting layer tightly overlayping said first torque transmitting layer and formed of a flat braided material, and
• a flexible casing that encases and impregnates said first and second torque transmitting layers,
• whereby said flexible casing is applied to the braided layers as a viscous material and then hardened so that it seals and covers the braided torque transmitting layers while remaining flexible.