Patent ID: 8519300

Claim:
A method of attaching a breakaway hub to a catheter shaft, the breakaway hub having an asymmetric strain relief and a boss projecting from the asymmetric strain relief, the catheter shaft including a proximal portion, the method comprising steps of: inserting the catheter shaft into the breakaway hub such that the asymmetric strain relief extends over the proximal portion of the catheter shaft; disposing a retainer sleeve over the asymmetric strain relief, the retainer sleeve including a slit configured to accommodate the boss therethrough; disposing a strain relief sleeve over the retainer sleeve; applying heat to shrink the strain relief sleeve; disposing a heat shrink tube over the strain relief sleeve; applying heat to shrink the heat shrink tube; applying laser energy to secure the breakaway hub to the proximal portion of the catheter shaft; and removing the heat shrink tube; wherein the boss projecting from the asymmetric strain relief softens and compresses while laser energy is applied.