Reinforced Venous Access Catheter

Abstract

A catheter for medical procedures comprises a shaft portion having a distal end insertable into a body lumen, the shaft portion having a wall defining a working lumen extending therewithin and a first strengthening element coupled to the wall to increase a burst pressure of the shaft portion, wherein the first strengthening element cooperates with a base material of the wall to define a flexible region of the shaft portion allowing the shaft portion to be atraumatically inserted into the body lumen.

1 .- 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . A catheter, comprising:
 an elongated shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first channel extending longitudinally therethrough, the elongated shaft comprising a reinforced portion extending along a first predetermined length thereof and a non-reinforced portion separated from the reinforced portion along a longitudinal axis of the catheter, the non-reinforced portion extending along a second predetermined length of the shaft, reinforced portion comprising a first inner layer defining an outer wall of the first channel and having a first material with a first durometer and a second outer layer forming an outer wall of the elongated shaft and having a second material with a second durometer, the first durometer being greater than the second durometer and the non-reinforced portion comprising the second material.   
     
     
         56 . The catheter of  claim 55 , wherein the elongated shaft further comprises a partition wall separating the first channel from a second channel extending longitudinally through the catheter. 
     
     
         57 . The catheter of  claim 56 , wherein the partition wall is formed of the second material. 
     
     
         58 . The catheter of  claim 56 , wherein the partition wall is formed of the first material. 
     
     
         59 . The catheter of  claim 55 , further comprising a strengthening material embedded within the second outer later. 
     
     
         60 . The catheter of  claim 59 , wherein the strengthening material is one of a braid, a mesh, a layered multi-material composite structure and a plurality of reinforcing particles. 
     
     
         61 . The catheter of  claim 59 , wherein the strengthening material is formed of one of metal, stainless steel, a shape-memory material, a polymer, a polyolefin, kevlar, vectran and silk. 
     
     
         62 . The catheter of  claim 55 , further comprising a strengthening material disposed around an outer surface of the second outer layer. 
     
     
         63 . The catheter of  claim 62 , wherein the strengthening material is bonded to the outer surface of the second outer layer. 
     
     
         64 . The catheter of  claim 62 , wherein the strengthening material is longitudinally slidable relative to the outer surface. 
     
     
         65 . The catheter of  claim 55 , further comprising a designated failure point of the elongated shaft configured to withstand a pressure reduced with respect to the reinforced portion. 
     
     
         66 . The catheter of  claim 65 , wherein the designated failure point is a reduced thickness portion of the elongated shaft. 
     
     
         67 . The catheter of  claim 65 , wherein the designated failure point is an extension tube having one or both of an irregular inner cross-section and an irregular outer cross-section. 
     
     
         68 . The catheter of  claim 67 , wherein the inner cross-sectional shape is substantially rectangular and the outer cross-sectional shape is substantially circular. 
     
     
         69 . A catheter for introducing a contrast media into a patient, comprising:
 an elongated shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a first channel extending longitudinally therethrough, the shaft further comprising:
 a substantially flexible outer layer defining an outer wall of the elongated shaft and configured for atraumatic insertion into a body; 
 a substantially rigid inner layer defining an outer wall of the channel, the inner layer having a durometer greater than a durometer of the outer layer, the rigid inner layer configured to raise a burst pressure of the elongated shaft to permit an increased flow rate through the channel 
   
     
     
         70 . The catheter of  claim 69 , further comprising a strengthening material embedded within the inner layer. 
     
     
         71 . The catheter of  claim 70 , wherein the strengthening material is longitudinally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the elongated shaft. 
     
     
         72 . The catheter of  claim 71 , wherein the strengthening material is one of a braid, a mesh and a layered multi-material composite structure.