Abstract: A method of making an intravascular balloon catheter that has an elongated shaft defining an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen, as well as a balloon disposed near the distal end of the shaft. The method may include forming an inner shaft by coextruding a flexible plastic tube by bringing a molten outer plastic layer into contact with a molten inner plastic layer, thereby bonding the plastic layers together during the coextrusion process. The inner plastic layer may be more lubricious than the outer plastic layer.

Abstract: The intravascular balloon catheter has an elongated shaft defining an inflation lumen and a guidewire lumen, as well as a balloon disposed near the distal end of the shaft. The inflation lumen communicates with and provides pressurized inflation fluid to the interior volume of the balloon, and the guidewire lumen is adapted to slidingly receive a guidewire. The shaft is formed of a length of flexible plastic tube, and the inner surface of the guidewire lumen is lined with an inner plastic layer. The plastic materials of the outer tube and inner layers are different, and they may be chemically bonded to each other.

Abstract: An intravascular catheter comprises a length of flexible plastic tubing which, in turn, comprises an outer plastic layer and an inner plastic layer. The plastic materials of the outer and inner layers are different, and may be chemically bonded to each other. Advantages in catheter design are achieved.

Abstract: Multiple lumen tubing is extruded by first extruding an inner tube of molten plastic about a metallic, bore-forming mandrel wire, followed by extruding about the inner tube an outer tube of molten plastic having a lumen formed by air mandrel means, with the inner and outer tubes being bonded together. This may be accomplished by means of a mandrel which is positioned in an extrusion die, with the mandrel defining a distal end portion positioned and shaped to form a lumen in the tubing, and an air flow passage extending through the mandrel to provide an air mandrel to the newly formed lumen to prevent its collapse. The distal end portion of the mandrel may be carried by an intermediate neck portion which has at least one transverse dimension that is less than the corresponding transverse dimension of the distal end portion.