Patent ID: 11944759
Assignee: COVIDIEN LP
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 8:
9. A method, comprising:
heat treating a first portion of a structural support member of an elongated body of a catheter, the elongated body extending between a proximal and a distal end, the elongated body comprising:
an inner liner defining an inner lumen of the elongated body and extending to the distal end of the elongated body;
an outer jacket and
the structural support member, the structural support member being positioned between at least a portion of the inner liner and at least a portion of the outer jacket;

wherein, after heat treating, the first portion of the structural support member has a first residual stress and a second portion of the structural support member has a second residual stress, greater than the first residual stress, and
wherein a thermal degradation temperature of at least one of the inner liner or the outer jacket is greater than a heat treatment temperature of the structural support member sufficient to relieve at least a portion of the second residual stress.