Patent ID: 7794402

Claim:
An echogenic catheter, comprising a) an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft section, a distal shaft section, and a lumen extending therein from a proximal to a distal end of the shaft; and b) a polymeric distal tip at the distal end of the elongated shaft, which is formed at least in part of an intrinsically conductive organic polymer having an outer surface with a circumference angle substantially greater than 180 degrees, and which has a distal portion of the shaft lumen extending therein in communication with a proximal portion of the shaft lumen and with a port at a distal end of the distal tip, and which is electrically connected to a conductor extending at least through the distal shaft section such that the distal tip is an electrode, wherein the intrinsically conductive organic polymer is not doped with additional materials to aid electrical conductivity, wherein the conductor comprises a wire electrically connecting the distal tip to a distal end of the shaft to conduct a signal from the distal tip to a signal receiving device for generating an electrocardiogram, wherein the polymeric distal tip is a solid material molded around and in continual contact along a cylindrical outer surface of a metal support of the distal shaft section, and in continual contact along outer surfaces of an end flair of the metal support.