Stylet having a roughened outer surface

Abstract

A stylet has a proximal end a distal end and an outer surface. The stylet is substantially cylindrical. The outer surface of the stylet is treated, or roughened, preferably by a glass peening or a bead blasting operation, such that its maximum profile peak height is greater than 30 μm, its roughness average is greater than 5 μm, and its root mean square roughness is greater than 8 μm. This results in reducing the removal force of the treated stylet from a silicone catheter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a disposable stylet so that it can be easily removed from a catheter, wherein the catheter is made of an elastomeric material, and the disposable stylet is made of a rigid material, the disposable stylet having an elongate stylet body having a proximal end, a distal end and an outer surface, said disposable stylet being substantially cylindrical at least for a majority of its length, the method comprising the steps of:
 subjecting the stylet body of the disposable stylet to a glass shot peening process for at least 10 minutes with a glass shot size of about 100 μm and with an intensity range between 30-60 psi.   
     
     
         2 . The method of treating a disposable stylet according to claim  12 , wherein the subjecting step achieves essentially 100% coverage along the majority of the disposable stylet's length.