Patent ID: 8728116

Claim:
A catheter comprising: a hypotube having a longitudinal axis, the hypotube comprising: a working lumen; a first pattern comprising a plurality of longitudinally-spaced rows each comprising two kerfs and two stems offset in a first circumferential direction, and a second pattern comprising a plurality of longitudinally-spaced rows each comprising two kerfs and two stems offset in a second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction, the rows of the second pattern singly alternatingly interspersed with the rows of the first pattern, a pitch of the longitudinally-spaced kerfs of first pattern and the second pattern varying along the longitudinal axis of the hypotube; and a polymer coating on at least a portion of an outside of the hypotube, wherein at least one parameter of the polymer coating varies along the longitudinal axis of the hypotube, the at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of material, thickness, and durometer, wherein the variation of the at least one parameter of the polymer coating is substantially aligned with the variation of the pitch of the longitudinally-spaced kerfs.