Patent ID: 8911814

Claim:
A method for coating at least a portion of a medical device, the method comprising: providing an elongate medical device, the medical device including an elongate core member having a proximal end region and a distal end region and a tubular member disposed over the distal end region, the tubular member having an outer surface and a plurality of slots formed along the outer surface; masking a portion of the tubular member adjacent at least one of the slots with a masking agent, wherein the masking agent is a structural barrier positioned within the tubular member and a portion of the masking agent projects through one or more of the plurality of slots, is spaced apart from sidewalls of the slots, and extends outward beyond an outer surface of the tubular member; coating the tubular member with a coating material; and removing the masking agent, wherein a coating gap is defined in the coating material at a location corresponding to the position of the masking agent.