Catheter with thermoresponsive distal tip portion

1. A catheter assembly for use as one of an intravascular catheter, a coronary catheter, a drainage catheter, a chemotherapy delivery catheter or a neuro-procedure catheter and comprising a tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a separate short distal tip which is coupled to an outer end of said distal portion, said distal portion being made of a temperature responsive hardness memory material comprising radiopague material selected from one of barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate or a metal powder compounded with a plastic thermoresponsive material modified or diluted with polyurethane resin to control the softening properties of the thermoresponsive material and said distal portion being harder at temperatures below a critical temperature of approximately 31 degrees C. and softer at temperatures above said critical temperature, said distal tip having a Shore hardness of 72-75 D at temperatures below said critical temperature for facilitating the pushing of said catheter into an introducing catheter and having a Shore hardness of 32-35 D at temperatures above said critical temperature, said distal tip also being made of a thermoresponsive polyurethane material and having a radio-opaque material therein, and said tubular body being coated with a jacket made of said plastic thermoresponsive hardness memory material.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said tubular body is a wire braided body comprising an inner tubular extrusion, a wire braid on the outer surface of said inner tubular extrusion and an outer tubular extrusion extruded over said wire braid.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1 wherein said distal portion of said tubular body is tapered and said distal tip is welded on or molded on said tapered distal portion.

4. A catheter assembly for use as one of an intravascular catheter, a coronary catheter, a drainage catheter, a chemotherapy delivery catheter or a neuro-procedure catheter and comprising a tubular body having a proximal portion and a distal portion and a separate distal tip which is coupled to an outer end of said distal portion, said distal portion being made of a temperature responsive hardness memory material comprising a radiopague material selected from one of barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate or a metal powder compounded with a plastic thermoresponsive material which is modified or diluted with polyurethane resin to control the softening properties of the thermoresponsive material and which is harder at temperatures below a critical temperature of approximately 31 degrees C. and softer at temperatures above said critical temperature, said distal portion having a Shore hardness of 72-75 D at temperatures below said critical temperature for facilitating the pushing of said catheter into an introducing catheter and having a Shore hardness of 32-35 D at temperatures above said critical temperature, said distal tip also being made of a thermoresponsive polyurethane material and having a radio-opaque material therein, and said distal tip being welded on or molded on said distal portion of said tubular body.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein said tubular body is coated with a jacket made of said thermoresponsive hardness memory material.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein said tubular body is a wire braided body comprising an inner tubular extrusion, a wire braid on the outer surface of said inner tubular extrusion and an outer tubular extrusion extruded over said wire braid.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 4 wherein said distal portion is tapered.