Catheters with lubricious linings and methods for making and using them

A method for making a plurality of tubular devices sized for introduction into a body lumen, comprising:

• providing first and second sheets adjacent one another such that first surfaces of the sheets are oriented towards one another and second surfaces of the sheets are oriented away from one another;
• directing the first and second sheets through a cutting apparatus such that the first and second sheets are cut into multiple pairs of strips;
• and
• bonding the pairs of strips together to create a plurality of thin-walled sleeves having inner lumens defined by the first surfaces;
• cutting the thin-walled sleeves into individual lengths;
• and
• attaching a tubular structure around each of the individual lengths of the thin-walled sleeves.

A method for making a plurality of tubular devices sized for introduction into a body lumen, comprising:

• providing first and second sheets adjacent one another such that first surfaces of the sheets are oriented towards one another and second surfaces of the sheets are oriented away from one another;
• directing the first and second sheets through a cutting apparatus such that the first and second sheets are cut into multiple pairs of strips;
• and
• bonding the pairs of strips together to create a plurality of thin-walled sleeves having inner lumens defined by the first surfaces,
• wherein the first and second sheets comprise polyurethane.

A method for making a plurality of tubular devices sized for introduction into a body lumen, comprising:

• providing first and second sheets adjacent one another such that first surfaces of the sheets are oriented towards one another and second surfaces of the sheets are oriented away from one another;
• directing the first and second sheets through a cutting apparatus such that the first and second sheets are cut into multiple pairs of strips;
• and
• bonding the pairs of strips together to create a plurality of thin-walled sleeves having inner lumens defined by the first surfaces,
• wherein the pairs of strips are bonded together by directing the pairs of strips between respective mandrels and pairs of rollers.

A method for making a plurality of tubular devices sized for introduction into a body lumen, comprising:

• providing a first sheet having first and second surfaces, the first surface comprise a coating having one or more desired properties;
• feeding the first sheet through a cutting tool to separate the first sheet into a plurality of elongate strips;
• forming the strips into elongate sleeves such that the first surface defines a lumen within the sleeves;
• cutting each of the sleeves into individual tubular devices;
• and
• attaching a tubular structure around each of the individual tubular devices to create a catheter.

A method for making a plurality of tubular devices sized for introduction into a body lumen, comprising:

• providing a first sheet having first and second surfaces, the first surface comprise a coating having one or more desired properties;
• feeding the first sheet through a cutting tool to separate the first sheet into a plurality of elongate strips;
• forming the strips into elongate sleeves such that the first surface defines a lumen within the sleeves;
• and
• cutting each of the sleeves into individual tubular devices,
• wherein the strips are formed into elongate sleeves by feeding the strips through respective forming dies,
• wherein each of the forming dies comprises a housing surrounding a mandrel, the housing tapered around the mandrel such that, as a strip is fed through the housing, the strip is formed into a tubular sleeve, and
• wherein at least a portion of each forming die is heated to bond longitudinal edges of the strip fed through the housing together to form the tubular sleeve.

A method for making a plurality of catheters sized for introduction into a body lumen of a patient, comprising:

• providing a first sheet having first and second surfaces, the first surface comprise a coating having one or more desired properties;
• feeding the first sheet through a cutting tool to separate the first sheet into a plurality of elongate strips, each strip having first and second side edges;
• thereafter, rolling each of the strips such that the first and second side edges are disposed adjacent one another and the coated first surface is disposed inwardly and the second surface of the sheet is disposed outwardly;
• cutting each of the rolled strips into individual tubular devices;
• and
• attaching a tubular structure around each of the individual tubular devices to create a catheter sized for introduction into a body lumen of a patient.