Patent ID: 7785317

Claim:
A hollow tubular article for a medical device adapted to be received by a body vessel, comprising: a first hollow tube piece substantially comprised of a first metal, said first hollow tube piece is a first tube of said first metal, the first tube having a solid tube section and a first spiral cut-out section; a second hollow tube piece substantially comprised of a second metal, said second hollow tube piece is a second tube of said second metal, the second tube having a solid tube section and a second spiral cut-out section, wherein the first spiral cut-out section and the second spiral cut-out section define a spiral space therebetween; said first metal is different from and more flexible at human body temperature than said second metal; a third hollow piece substantially comprised of a radiopaque material, said third hollow piece being within said spiral space such that the first spiral cut-out section, the second spiral cut-out section and the third hollow piece within the spiral space form a joint longitudinally between the first hollow tube piece and the second hollow tube piece; said first and second spiral cut-out sections have substantially identical outer diameters and substantially identical inner diameters, said third hollow piece has an outer diameter no greater than said outer diameter of the cut-out sections, and said third hollow piece has an inner diameter no smaller than said inner diameter of the cut-out sections; the joint further includes a shrink tubing along said spiral cut-out sections and said third hollow piece, and the shrink tubing adheres together the first and second hollow tube pieces so as to seal together the first and second cut-out sections along with said third hollow piece.