Vascular catheter having low-profile distal end

An intravascular device comprising an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end with a first proximal opening at the proximal end communicating with a first lumen, a first distal opening at the distal end communicating with the first lumen, and second proximal opening at the proximal end communicating with a second lumen, a distal end of the second lumen terminating and communicating with the first lumen at a location therein proximal of the first distal opening.

An intravascular device as in claim 24, which is an introducer sheath or a catheter.

An ultrasound imaging sheath comprising:

• a dual lumen section comprising a guide wire lumen and an ultrasound probe lumen, wherein a cross-section of said dual lumen section and at least one of the lumens is circular;
• and
• an intermediate section connect to the dual lumen section and comprising an intermediate lumen communicating with both the wire lumen and the probe lumen sized to alternately pass a guide wire and an ultrasound probe.

A catheter with a transition region, a single lumen, and a multiple lumen section where the single lumen divides into two or more lumens, comprising:

• a transition region containing a cavity through which the single lumen connects with at least one of the multiple lumens, the shape of the cavity in a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the catheter, the section taken where the lumens connect, being defined by:
• a first arc and a second arc connected by two substantially straight side walls, wherein the cavity cross-section gradually blends into the single-lumen cross-section over a longitudinal distance of at least about two lumen diameters.

A guiding catheter body comprising a tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the tubular member includes a proximal region having at least two lumens and a distal region having a single lumen which is connected to and in communication with said at least two lumens and which has a cross-sectional area which is less than the combined cross-sectional areas of the two lumens of the proximal region.