Patent ID: 7112298

Claim:
A method for forming a medical device comprising: providing an elongated mandrel; providing an aqueous coating solution including water and a water soluble polymer dissolved in the water wherein the water soluble polymer comprises polyvinyl alcohol, polyethyleneoxide, polyethyleneglycol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, or mixtures thereof; applying the aqueous coating solution to the elongated mandrel to define a polymer coating layer on the mandrel, wherein the polymer coating layer is a generally continuous layer of the water soluble polymer, and wherein the generally continuous polymer coating layer comprises the water soluble polymer that is water soluble or water dispersible prior to curing, and is not water soluble after curing; disposing at least one additional layer around a portion of the polymer coating layer, wherein the one additional layer includes a reinforcing layer; and removing the elongated mandrel to expose an inner lumen at least partially defined by the polymer coating layer.