# US 8,465,469 B2 · Reinforced catheter and methods of making > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,465,469 B2 - Document ID: US8465469B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/243,381 - Filed: 2002-09-12 - Published: 2004-03-18 - Granted: 2013-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2002-09-12 - Assignees: Medtronic Vascular, Inc. - Applicants: Jerry Brightbill - Inventors: Jerry Brightbill - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8465469B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0012: {with embedded structures, e.g. coils, braids, meshes, strands or radiopaque coils} - A61M 25/0051: {made from fenestrated or weakened tubing layer} - A61M 25/0054: {with regions for increasing flexibility} - A61M 25/0138: {having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils} - A61M 2025/0059: {having means for preventing the catheter, sheath or lumens from collapsing due to outer forces, e.g. compressing forces, or caused by twisting or kinking} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A reinforced catheter having a non-filamentous, seamless metal tube interposed between a polymeric hollow core and a polymeric outer jacket. The metal tube may have a pattern of apertures through which the hollow core and the polymeric outer jacket are adhered to each other. The invention also includes methods of making the reinforced catheter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reinforced catheter having proximal and distal ends, the catheter comprising: an elongate, flexible, polymeric, hollow tubular core extending between the proximal and distal ends of the catheter; the core having an outer surface with a tubular, seamless, metallized layer formed directly and adherent thereon of between 0.0005 and 0.002 inches thickness to define a reinforcement layer to enhance the ability of the catheter to transmit controllably to the distal end rotation applied to the proximal end; the reinforcement layer extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end and a flexible, polymeric jacket surrounding and fully covering the reinforcement layer and extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the metal tube has a pattern of apertures, and the hollow core and the jacket are adhered to each other through the apertures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the pattern of apertures varies between the catheter proximal and distal ends. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The catheter according to claim 3, wherein the apertures adjacent the catheter distal end are larger in size than the apertures adjacent the catheter proximal end. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The catheter according to claim 3, wherein the apertures adjacent the catheter distal end are larger in number than the apertures adjacent the catheter proximal end. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the metal tube has a wall thickness of about 0.051 mm (0.002 inch) or less. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the metal tube has a wall thickness of about 0.025 mm (0.001 inch) or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the metal tube has a wall thickness of about 0.013 mm (0.0005 inch) or less. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, gold, nickel, niobium, platinum, silver, stainless steel, tantalum, titanium, zirconium, or alloys and/or oxides thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the hollow core comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers, fluoropolymers, or blends, laminates, copolymers and/or block copolymers thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the jacket comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers, fluoropolymers, or blends, laminates, copolymers and/or block copolymers thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The catheter according to claim 11, wherein the jacket further comprises multiple segments axially arranged along the catheter, each segment having physical properties that are different from the physical properties of an adjacent segment. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The catheter according to claim 12, wherein a first segment comprising a first material is disposed distal to a second segment comprising a second material, the first material being more flexible than the second material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a lubricious coating applied to an inner surface of the hollow core. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a connector fitting mounted at the catheter proximal end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein a distal portion of the catheter is curved. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1 being sufficiently flexible to be translocated through a curvaceous passageway within a patient. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1 being capable of transmitting to the distal end substantially all rotation applied to the proximal end. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the metal tube has been formed on an outer surface of the hollow core by a metallizing process selected from the group consisting of electroplating, electroless plating, sputter coating, vapor deposition, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 20 A method of making a reinforced catheter tubing, the catheter having proximal and distal ends comprising: providing an elongate, flexible, polymeric hollow core; forming a seamless metal tube having a wall thickness of 0.0005 to 0.002 inch directly on and adherent to the entire length of an outer surface of the hollow core by a metallizing process selected from the group consisting of electroplating, electroless plating, sputter coating or vapor deposition, the metal tube having a pattern of apertures, the configuration and thickness of the metal tube enhancing the ability of the catheter to transmit controllably to the distal end rotation applied to the proximal end; and forming a flexible, polymeric jacket fitted tightly about the entire length of the metal tube and being adhered to the hollow core through the apertures. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: removing a first material from a segment of the formed jacket; and filling the segment with a second material having physical properties different from those of the first material. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein forming the jacket comprises extruding a layer of polymeric material over the metal tube and hollow core. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising: cutting the catheter tubing into sub-assemblies having an intended catheter-length. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein forming the jacket comprises shrink-fitting a length of polymeric tubing around the metal tube and hollow core after cutting the catheter tubing into sub-assemblies. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the jacket comprises multiple segments axially arranged along each of the catheter sub-assemblies, each segment having physical properties that are different from the physical properties of an adjacent segment. ### Claim 26 (depends on 23) The method of claim 23, wherein the pattern of apertures varies along the catheter tubing, the pattern repeating or reversing at longitudinally sequential locations defined by the intended catheter-length. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the hollow core comprises metallizing nodes. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein forming a metal tube comprises treating the hollow core to prevent metallization on areas having been selected to define the apertures. ### Claim 29 A reinforced catheter having proximal and distal ends, the catheter comprising: an elongate, flexible, polymeric hollow core extending between the proximal and distal ends of the catheter; a tubular metal reinforcement layer electroplated or electroless plated or sputter coated or vapor deposited on an external surface of the hollow core, the reinforcement layer extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end; and a flexible, polymeric jacket surrounding the reinforcement layer and extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end; wherein the hollow core comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyamides, thermoplastic elastomers, fluoropolymers, or blends, laminates, copolymers and/or block copolymers thereof; and wherein the selected polymeric material contains particles capable of acting as metallizing nodes when exposed at the outer surface of the hollow core. ### Claim 30 A reinforced catheter having proximal and distal ends, the catheter comprising: an elongate, flexible, polymeric hollow tubular core extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end; a seamless metal tube electroplated or electroless plated or sputter coated or vapor deposited directly on and adhered to an external surface of the hollow core and having a thickness of 0.002 inches or less to reinforce the catheter from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end to enhance the ability of the catheter to transmit controllably to the distal end rotation applied to the proximal end; and a flexible, polymeric jacket surrounding the metal tube and extending from the catheter proximal end to the catheter distal end, the jacket fully covering the reinforcement tube; and a connector fitting attached to the catheter proximal end.