Patent ID: 7172587

Claim:
A medical catheter adapted for use within a body vessel, the medical catheter comprising: a tubular catheter shaft comprising an inner liner surrounded by an outer shell, the shaft having a distal end that fits within the body vessel; wherein the catheter shaft comprises at least one region of selectively varied lamination providing one or more areas of reduced bonding or no bonding at all between an outer surface of the inner liner and an inner surface of the outer shell; and wherein the selectively varied lamination includes one of the following: a) a thermoplastic bond between the inner liner and the outer shell wherein the one or more areas of reduced bonding or no bonding at all comprise a thermal bond inhibiting agent; or b) an adhesive bond layer between the inner liner and the outer shell, an adhesively bonded outer surface of the inner liner comprising a bond enhancing treatment; or c) a thermoplastic tie layer melt-bonded between the inner liner and the outer shell, the tie layer comprising one or more open sections to provide the one or more areas of reduced bonding or no bonding at all; or d) an adhesive layer bonding the inner liner to the outer shell, the adhesive layer comprising a pattern of bonded sections and non-bonded sections.