Catheters and method for nonextrusion manufacturing of catheters

A method of making medical tubing, comprising the steps of:

• providing a core having an outer surface;
• providing at least one polymer material;
• applying a nonextruded layer of said polymer material over a length of said outer surface of the core such that particles of said polymer material impact on the outer surface of the core and are consolidated to form the medical tubing;
• and
• heating the polymer material into a molten state before the polymer material impacts on the outer surface of said core.

A method of making medical tubing, comprising the steps of:

• providing a core having an outer surface;
• providing at least one polymer material;
• applying a nonextruded layer of said polymer material over a length of said outer surface of the core such that particles of said polymer material are consolidated to form the medical tubing;
• and
• grounding the core and charging the polymer material to cause the polymer material to cling to the core electrostatically as the polymer material is applied.

A method of making medical tubing having multiple lumens;

• comprising the steps of:
• providing a plurality of cores each having an outer surface;
• placing said plurality of cores in close proximity to each other;
• providing at least one polymer material;
• and
• applying a nonextruded layer of polymer material over a length of said outer surfaces of said plurality of cores such that particles of said polymer material are consolidated to form the medical tubing having multiple lumens.

A method of making medical tubing, comprising the steps of:

• providing a core having an outer surface:
• providing at least one polymer material;
• applying a nonextruded layer of said polymer material over a length of said outer surface of the core such that particles of said polymer material are consolidated to form the medical tubing;
• placing at least one conductor and at least one sensor over said nonextruded layer of polymer material;
• and
• applying a second nonextruded layer of polymer material over said conductor.

A method of making medical tubing, comprising the steps of:

• providing a gore having an outer surface;
• providing at least one polymer material;
• applying a nonextruded layer of said polymer material over a length of said outer surface of the core such that particles of said polymer material are consolidated to form the medical tubing;
• forming at least one longitudinal passage in said nonextruded layer of polymer material;
• placing a resilient fiber into said longitudinal passage;
• and
• anchoring a distal end of said resilient fiber adjacent a distal end of said longitudinal passage, whereby the medical tubing can be deflected by applying a force to a proximal end of said resilient fiber.