Abstract: A tubular article (31) is provided by molding and thermosetting a mixture including polyimide and fluororesin particles. At least a part of the fluororesin particles present in the vicinity of a surface layer of the tubular article (31) is melt-flowed into the outer face or both faces of the tubular article and oozes out so as to form a fluororesin coating partially or entirely. The tubular article (31) can be manufactured by applying on the outer face of a mold a dispersion prepared by adding fluororesin particles to a polyimide precursor solution and casting to have a predetermined thickness, heating for imidization so that the maximum temperature for the imidization is set higher than the melting point of the fluororesin, cooling and subsequently separating the tubular article from the mold.

Abstract: A medical device for insertion into the human body has improved sliding characteristics compared to similar devices with fluororesin surfaces. The medical device for insertion into the human body includes a substrate having given shape, and an agent for improving the sliding characteristics having a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, and coating the hydrophobic surface.