Catheter having oval aspiration lumen and method of making

An elongate flexible aspiration catheter for removing emboli or other particles from a blood vessel, the catheter comprising:

• an aspiration tube having only one aspiration lumen, the lumen defined by an inner surface of a liner and fluidly connecting a first fluid port disposed at the proximal end of the tube and with a second fluid port disposed at the distal end of the tube, a jacket disposed about and adhered to the liner, a reinforcement layer interposed between the jacket and the liner and a deformed portion of the aspiration tube having an oval transverse cross-section defining major and minor axes, that portion of the catheter that includes the deformed portion of the aspiration tube being non-circular in external cross-section;
• the aspiration catheter having a guidewire tube extending externally of and alongside only the deformed portion of the aspiration tube wherein the jacket is absent along the deformed portion of the aspiration tube such that the guidewire tube is secured directly to the reinforcement layer and the liner such that the minor axis extends transversely through the guidewire tube, the guidewire tube having a round lumen extending longitudinally therethrough and being open at the proximal and distal ends thereof for slidably receiving a medical guidewire;
• and
• a fitting mounted at the aspiration tube proximal end in fluid communication with the first fluid port.