Patent ID: 7232434

Claim:
A catheter comprising: a flexible tubular insert section having a longitudinal central axis defining an imaginary plane including the longitudinal central axis, the flexible tubular insert section having a distal end portion including a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen formed in the flexible tube and having an opening at the distal end, and the lumen extending to the distal end from the proximal end through the distal end portion for feeding liquid and/or an elongated member to the opening from the proximal end, and outwardly projecting the liquid and/or the elongated member from the opening, the distal end portion having a plurality of notches formed in an outer surface and arranged along the longitudinal central axis on one side of the imaginary plane, each of said plurality of notches not extending to the lumen so that each of said plurality of notches do not communicate with the lumen; an operating wire passed through said insert section and capable of advancing or retreating to bend the distal end portion of said insert section having said notches; and a reinforcing tube put on the insert section to cover at least a portion of the elongated portion except for said plurality of notches to restrain longitudinal compression of the portion of the insert section on which the reinforcing tube is put on.