Patent ID: 7273577

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a catheter wherein the catheter comprises an elongate portion having a proximal end and at least one lumen at said proximal end, at least one extension tube having a passage, and a coupling element, the distal portion of the extension tube being capable of communicating with a lumen of the elongate portion via a passage in the coupling element wherein the method comprises: providing a removable insert element wherein said removable insert element locates and holds the extension tube during the manufacture of the coupling element; inserting a wire mandrel through an extension tube and into a lumen of the elongate portion; positioning the removable insert in a mold tool to locate the extension tube within the coupling element such that plastic is prevented from flashing out of the mold at the portion at which the extension tube exits the mold; forming the coupling element in the mold tool wherein the removable insert is positioned in the mold tool to locate the extension tube within the coupling element; and removing: (i) the wire mandrel from the lumen of the elongate portion and from the extension tube to create a passage in the coupling element from the extension tube into the lumen of the elongate portion; and (ii) the removable insert element from the coupling element.