Patent ID: 7347852

Claim:
A catheter assembly comprising: one tube having a lumen and a sidewall, and a longitudinal companion member, said tube and said companion member coupled to and contacting one another at surfaces thereof along a predetermined zone, and a linear engagement member extending longitudinally within said sidewall of said tube and through said companion member, without extending into the lumen of said tube, said tube and said companion member held together solely at said zone, each of the distal most and proximal most ends of said linear engagement member being embedded in said sidewall of said tube, said tube, said companion member and said linear engagement member extending proximal of said zone by an amount sufficient to extend out of the body of a patient in whom the catheter is implanted, said linear engagement member being accessible upon cutting through said sidewall within which said linear engagement member is embedded, thereby permitting withdrawal of said linear engagement member to cause said tube and said companion member to disconnect and permit separate, independent withdrawal of said tube and said companion member from a patient.