Patent ID: 9254374
Filing Date: 2016-02-09
CPC Classification: A61M,B29C,B29L,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. An introducer catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, comprising: a polymeric inner liner having a substantially cylindrical distal section, a substantially cylindrical proximal section, and a frusto-conical intermediate section between the distal section and the proximal section, wherein the inner liner defines a lumen; a torque transfer layer surrounding at least a portion of the inner liner, wherein the torque transfer layer terminates proximal to the frusto-conical intermediate section; and an outer sheath of a melt-processable polymer, wherein a thickness of the outer sheath surrounding the frusto-conical intermediate section is variable along a length of the frusto-conical section between the proximal and distal sections of the inner liner; and wherein the distal end of the introducer catheter is shaped in a preset curvature in a plane including a central longitudinal axis of the introducer catheter.