Method of making a catheter with flexible side port entry

A method of making a catheter comprising the following steps:

• selecting a distal tubular member having a longitudinal distal inflation lumen throughout and a longitudinal inner guidewire lumen throughout;
• selecting a proximal tubular member, the proximal tubular member being formed of a jacketed spring coil and having a longitudinal proximal inflation lumen throughout;
• placing the proximal and distal tubular members end to end;
• spacing the ends of the tubular members from each other to create a transition region therebetween;
• providing a linking element in the transition region, the linking element including first and second flexible tubes defining respective first and second intermediate inflation lumens to communicate between the inflation lumens of the proximal and distal tubular members, so that by varying the characteristics of the tubular members and the linking element, the handling characteristics of the catheter can be controlled;
• and
• providing a side port entry in the transition region from which the guidewire lumen exits to the catheter exterior.

A method of making a catheter comprising the following steps:

• providing a spring coil shaft defining an inflation lumen, the shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a side port entry;
• providing a balloon located generally at the distal end of the shaft, the balloon having a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end of the balloon being sealed to the inflation lumen;
• and
• providing a guidewire lumen extending from the spring coil shaft distal end to the side port entry, said guidewire lumen adapted to receive a guidewire in a sliding fit.

A method of making a catheter comprising the following steps:

• providing a distal tubular member having a longitudinal distal inflation lumen throughout and a longitudinal guidewire throughout;
• providing a proximal tubular member, the proximal tubular member being formed of a jacketed spring coil and having a longitudinal proximal inflation lumen throughout;
• placing the proximal and distal tubular members end to end;
• spacing the ends of the tubular members from each other to create a transition region therebetween;
• providing a linking element in the transition region, said linking element including a flexible tube defining an intermediate inflation lumen to communicate between the inflation lumens of the proximal and distal tubular members, so that by varying the characteristics of the tubular members and the linking element, the handling characteristics of the catheter can be controlled;
• providing a side port entry in the transition region from which the guidewire lumen exits to the catheter exterior;
• and
• providing a core wire affixed to the distal and proximal tubular members.