Abstract: A catheter for arterial delivery of medication or the like includes an elongate flexible shaft with a self-sealing valve element at the distal tip of the shaft. The tip is molded from polymeric material filled with a radiopaque compound and is visually dark to facilitate surgical implantation. The value element also includes a pair of closely spaced circumferential retention ridges to facilitate securing the device in an artery by sutures or the like. Retention ridges are located very close to each other to reduce the risk of axial shifting of the device in the artery and are located close to the distal tip of the tip element to reduce the formation of spaces in which thrombus might develop.