Abstract: Apparatus for enhancing pushability and minimizing kinking of a balloon catheter is provided, wherein a catheter comprises inner and outer tubes, and a balloon that is proximally affixed to the outer tube and distally affixed to the inner tube. The outer tube extends distal to the proximal affixation point and at least partially into the balloon segment to provide additional stiffness and pushability. The outer tube may taper and connect to the inner tube or to radiopaque markers disposed thereon. The outer tube further may be selectively reinforced, as by using multipart construction or using different tube textures, to selectively provide added stiffness in areas susceptible to kinking.

Abstract: Apparatus for enhancing pushability and minimizing kinking of a balloon catheter is provided, wherein a catheter comprises inner and outer tubes, and a balloon that is proximally affixed to the outer tube and distally affixed to the inner tube. The outer tube extends distal to the proximal affixation point and at least partially into the balloon segment to provide additional stiffness and pushability. The outer tube may taper and connect to the inner tube or to radiopaque markers disposed thereon. The outer tube further may be selectively reinforced, as by using multipart construction or using different tube textures, to selectively provide added stiffness in areas susceptible to kinking.

Abstract: Apparatus for enhancing pushability and minimizing kinking of a balloon catheter is provided, wherein a catheter comprises inner and outer tubes, and a balloon that is proximally affixed to the outer tube and distally affixed to the inner tube. The outer tube extends distal to the proximal affixation point and at least partially into the balloon segment to provide additional stiffness and pushability. The outer tube may taper and connect to the inner tube or to radiopaque markers disposed thereon. The outer tube further may be selectively reinforced, as by using multipart construction or using different tube textures, to selectively provide added stiffness in areas susceptible to kinking.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coating system, in particular to a coating system for articles where plastic materials slide against flexible rubber materials. The coating system is a silicone oil based coating having a viscosity of at least 200,000 centistokes, i.e. a high viscosity coating. The coating comprises in a preferred embodiment a silicone oil based block or graft copolymer, or segmented copolymer. Further the invention relates to a process of producing a component of an article coated as described above, comprising adding the coating material to the component material prior to molding and subsequently molding the component from the mixture, or molding the component from the component material and subsequently applying the coating material to the at least one surface of the component, as well as an article coated with a silicone oil based coating as defined above. Such an article is preferably a medical article, such as a container or an injection cylinder and a stopper.