Patent ID: 7695466
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: A61M,B29C,B29L

Abstract:
1. A method of making an epidural hollow catheter section including a flexible tip comprising: (a) providing a hollow tubular plastic catheter section with a helical reinforcement within such hollow section, (b) providing a drawn oriented tubular stiffening section having an external diametrical dimension just small enough to fit within the helical reinforcement within the hollow tubular plastic catheter section and a length appropriate to the length of epidural needle to be used with the catheter section, (c) inserting the tubular stiffening section into the lumen within the helically reinforced catheter to a position just beyond the length of flexible tip desired, (d) exposing the section of catheter containing the stressed tubular stiffening section to a stress relief treatment effective to relieve the stress in the stiffening section causing it to expand laterally to securely contact the inside of the hollow (with the helical reinforcement) helically reinforced plastic catheter, (e) whereby the catheter section is stiffened in the length of the catheter containing the expanded stiffener section.