Patent ID: 7909812

Claim:
A catheter comprising: an elongate shaft having a proximal section and a distal section distal of the proximal section, the elongate shaft including: a) an inner liner having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough; b) an outer cover having a proximal end and a distal end; c) a first stiffener member including at least one metallic ribbon interposed between the inner liner and the outer cover, the at least one metallic ribbon of the first stiffener member extending through the proximal section of the elongate shaft; and d) a second stiffener member including at least one non-metallic ribbon interposed between the inner liner and the outer cover, the at least one non-metallic ribbon of the second stiffener member extending through both the proximal section of the elongate shaft and the distal section of the elongate shaft; wherein the distal section of the elongate shaft is devoid of a metallic ribbon, and wherein the at least one non-metallic ribbon comprises a liquid crystal polymer.