Abstract: A medical catheter comprising a guide wire shaft having an inner diameter defining an inner lumen and an outer diameter, the guide wire shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion, an inflation lumen tube defining an inflation lumen, the inflation lumen tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the guide wire shaft extending distal to the inflation lumen tube, an inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, the balloon distal end being sealingly affixed to the distal end of the inner lumen tube, the balloon proximal end being sealingly affixed to the distal end of the inflation lumen tube, the balloon being in fluid communication with the inflation lumen and at least one marker band being imbedded in the distal portion of the guide wire shaft, the marker band being positioned between the proximal end and the distal end of the inflatable balloon such that the marker band can be viewed under fluoroscopy.

Abstract: An intravascular medical catheter and method of manufacturing a medical catheter are provided herein. The medical catheter includes a guidewire shaft, a sleeve, and a balloon. The sleeve is attached to the guidewire shaft while a distal tail of the balloon is thermally bonded to the sleeve. Because of the sleeve, the distal tail of the balloon can be thermally bonded even if the guidewire shaft is made of a material which is thermally incompatible with the balloon. Thus, for example, a medical catheter can be made with an HDPE guidewire shaft and a balloon made of PEBA, PET, Polyurethane, or Nylon. The resulting medical catheter has a catheter tip which is durable, flexible, and has a relatively low profile for good tracking in the body vessel and good lesion crossing.

Abstract: A medical catheter comprising a distal shaft having a greater flexibility than the proximal shaft. The proximal shaft has a helical end portion of reduced outer diameter which is integral with and extending from the distal end of the proximal shaft. The helical end portion slidingly fits within a portion of the proximal end of the distal shaft. The helical end portion is bonded to at least a portion of the distal shaft to form a fluid-tight seal. The pitch of the helical end portion may be constant or variable. The helical turns may be abutting or spaced apart. A guidewire shaft centrally extends longitudinally through the proximal and distal shaft such that fluid can be transmitted through the proximal and distal shaft, exterior to the guidewire shaft.

Abstract: The present invention is accomplished by providing a catheter with a shaft having a balloon affixed to the distal end, a core wire extending throughout the shaft and throughout the balloon, the core wire having a tube surrounding the distal end, a sleeve defining a guidewire lumen extending parallel, and exterior to the shaft and to the exterior to the balloon. In yet another embodiment the catheter shaft has a balloon affixed to the distal end and a sleeve defining a guidewire lumen extending parallel and exterior to the shaft and to the balloon exterior. In yet another embodiment the catheter shaft has a balloon affixed to the distal end and a core wire extending throughout the shaft and throughout the balloon with the core wire having a tube surrounding the distal end. In each embodiment the balloon is compressed to itself to form a compressed area just distal to the distal balloon cone for separating the balloon inflation lumen from a sleeve lumen.