Patent ID: 8734699

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a steerable catheter, comprising: providing a mandrel; placing an inner liner over the mandrel; placing a steering wire assembly over the inner liner, the steering wire assembly including: at least one flat wire extending longitudinally along the inner liner; and at least one flexible tube extending longitudinally along the inner liner, wherein at least a portion of the at least one flat wire is encased in the at least one flexible tube, and wherein the at least one flexible tube has a cross-sectional shape that differs from a cross-sectional shape of the at least one flat wire; placing a wire reinforcing assembly over the inner liner, the wire reinforcing assembly including at least two flat wires braided into a wire mesh; placing a tubular outer layer over the inner liner, the steering wire assembly, and the wire reinforcing assembly; laminating the outer layer to the inner liner, thereby embedding the steering wire assembly and the wire reinforcing assembly within the outer layer; and removing the mandrel, thereby forming a lumen.