Patent ID: 8376961

Claim:
A medical device, comprising: an elongate core member having a proximal portion and a distal portion; wherein the distal portion includes a distal end and a flattened region disposed proximally of the distal end, the flattened region having a height and a width, the width being twice or more as large as the height; a tubular member disposed over the distal portion, the tubular member having a plurality of slots formed therein; and wherein the flattened region of the core member individually has anisotropic bending properties and includes at least one preferred bending direction, wherein the tubular member individually has anisotropic bending properties and includes at least one preferred bending direction, and wherein the tubular member is disposed over the distal portion such that the preferred bending direction of the flattened region of the core member is aligned with the preferred bending direction of the tubular member.