Patent ID: 8182466

Claim:
A catheter apparatus, comprising: a proximal handle set; a distal tip; a shaft having a length extending between said proximal handle set and said distal tip, said shaft including: an inner layer of polymer material extending the length of the shaft and defining an internal lumen; a first wire, extending the length of the shaft, wound about an outside surface of said inner layer of polymer material to form an inner cylindrical braid structure having a series of windings; a second wire, extending the length of the shaft, wound to form an outer cylindrical braid structure, said inner cylindrical braid structure being disposed substantially inside of said outer cylindrical braid structure; and an intermediate layer of polymer material, extending the length of the shaft, extruded over said first wire, said second wire is wound on an outer surface of said intermediate layer of polymer material, wherein said intermediate layer of polymer material is disposed between said first wire and said second wire, said intermediate layer of polymer material further extending between successive ones of said windings so as to contact opposite facing surfaces of said successive ones of said windings, wherein said first wire, said second wire and said intermediate layer of polymer material are coaxial and each extend between said proximal handle set and said distal tip; said first wire having a minor cross-sectional dimension and a major cross-sectional dimension, where said major dimension is greater than said minor dimension; and said first wire and second wire and said intermediate layer of polymer material disposed therebetween defining a dual braided body section, wherein a braiding parameter of said inner cylindrical braid structure in said dual braided body section changes along a length of said inner cylindrical braid structure to vary a first mechanical property of said shaft of said catheter apparatus, and a braiding parameter of said outer cylindrical braid structure in said dual braided body section changes along a length of said outer cylindrical braid structure, independently of said braiding parameter of said inner braid structure, to vary a second mechanical property of said shaft of said catheter apparatus, wherein said first mechanical property is different than said second mechanical property.