Patent ID: 7824517

Claim:
A method of forming a tubular body for a catheter, sheath or lead, the tubular body being configured for insertion into the body lumen of a patient during a medical procedure, the method comprising extruding a polymer core having a core wall with an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface, a first lumen, and a second lumen, wherein the inner circumferential surface of the core wall defines a first lumen and the second lumen is disposed between the inner circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface, wherein the core wall, first lumen, and second lumen are integrally formed when extruding the polymer core, and wherein the first lumen and the second lumen extend longitudinally through a radial thickness of the core wall; pulling the extruded polymer core over a mandrel, wherein the mandrel is disposed within the first lumen, and wherein the second lumen is mandrel free; placing a first layer over an outer circumferential surface of the extruded polymer core; and bonding the first layer to the circumferential surface of the extruded polymer core via a reflow process, wherein a temperature of the reflow process is below a softening point of the polymer core to prevent the first and second lumen from collapsing, and wherein the mandrel is a hanging mandrel to hold the tubular body in a desired configuration during the reflow process.