Catheter having radiopaque portion and transparent portion
View Patent ↗A catheter comprises a tubular body portion ( 11 ) including an elongate portion ( 13 ) made of a transparent material, and at least one substantially linear contrast-radiography portion ( 14 a , 14 b ) made of an X-ray opaque material and extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate portion. The body portion ( 11 ) is hollow to allow passage of a liquid therethrough. A majority of the transparent material is composed of an aromatic polyurethane, while the material forming the at least one contrast-radiography portion ( 14 a , 14 b ) is a mixture composed at least mainly of the X-ray opaque material and an aliphatic polyurethane.
1. A catheter comprising:
a tubular body portion including an elongate portion comprising a transparent material, the body portion being hollow to allow passage of a liquid therethrough; and
at least one substantially linear contrast-radiography portion comprising an X-ray opaque material extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate portion,
wherein the transparent material comprises a mixture of an aromatic polyurethane and an aliphatic polyurethane, and the material forming the at least one contrast-radiography portion comprises a mixture of the X-ray opaque material and an aliphatic polyurethane.
2. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contrast-radiography portion is enclosed in a wall portion forming the elongate portion.
3. The catheter of claim 2 , wherein the at least one contrast-radiography portion is embedded in the wall portion to a depth of at least 0.01 mm.
4. The catheter of claim 2 , wherein the at least one contrast-radiography portion is embedded in the wall portion to a depth of at least 0.02 mm.
5. The catheter of claim 2 , wherein the at least one contrast-radiography portion is embedded in the wall portion to a depth of about 0.04 mm.
6. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the transparent material forming the elongate portion comprises from about 50% to about 80% aromatic polyurethane.
7. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the transparent material forming the elongate portion comprises about 60% aromatic polyurethane.
8. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein more than one contrast-radiography portion is provided.
9. The catheter of claim 8 , wherein two contrast-radiography portions are provided.
10. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one contrast-radiography portion comprises about 60% aliphatic polyurethane.
11. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the X-ray opaque material is selected from the group consisting of barium sulfate, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth tungstate, tantalum tungstate and mixtures thereof.
12. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the contrast-radiography portion possesses a circumference from about 10% to about 70% of the circumference of the elongate portion.
13. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the contrast-radiography portion possesses a circumference about 60% of the circumference of the elongate portion.
14. A catheter comprising:
a tubular body portion including an elongate portion comprising a transparent material, the body portion being hollow to allow passage of a liquid therethrough; and
more than one substantially linear contrast-radiography portions comprising an X-ray opaque material extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate portion,
wherein the transparent material comprises a mixture of an aromatic polyurethane and an aliphatic polyurethane, and the material forming the at least one contrast-radiography portion comprises a mixture of the X-ray opaque material and an aliphatic polyurethane.
15. The catheter of claim 14 , wherein two contrast-radiography portions are provided.