FUSION MANUFACTURE OF MULTI-LUMEN CATHETERS
Methods of forming catheters are disclosed, together with methods of forming split tip catheters. In one aspect of the invention, the manufacturing methods can include the steps of: providing first and second catheter tubes each having a substantially D-shaped cross-section, and attaching at least a portion of longitudinal lengths of the first and second catheter tubes along flat surfaces of the first and second catheter tubes to form a dual lumen catheter assembly. The tubes can be fused along at least about 10%, preferably along at least about 50%, more preferably in some applications along at least about 70%, 80% or 90% of the longitudinal length.
1 . A method of forming a catheter, comprising:
providing a first catheter tube having a substantially D-shaped cross-section and a second catheter tube having a substantially D-shaped cross-section; and
attaching at least a portion of longitudinal lengths of the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube along flat surfaces of the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube to form a dual lumen catheter assembly.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching further comprises fusing the tubes together along at least about 70% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising securing a non-fused portion of the longitudinal lengths together with a bioresorbable adhesive.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising orienting distal portions of the first catheter tube and second catheter tube such that the distal portions are separate and diverge from each other at an angle.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising orienting distal portions of the first catheter tube and second catheter tube such that the distal portions are substantially parallel to each other.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising orienting the distal portions such that the distal portions are separate from each other.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching at least a portion of longitudinal lengths further comprises heat bonding the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of attaching at least a portion of longitudinal lengths further comprises adhesive or chemical reaction bonding the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube.
9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising orienting the first and second catheter tubes such that one tube extends longitudinally beyond the other tube.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising removing a portion of the assembly to form a first lumen tip segment such that the first catheter tube extends longitudinally beyond the second catheter tube.
11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising fusing together two tubes of different longitudinal lengths such that the first catheter tube extends longitudinally beyond the second catheter tube.
12 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising joining a second lumen tip segment to the second catheter tube in fluid communication with the second catheter tube.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second lumen tip segment has a cross-section shape different from the second catheter tube.
14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the second lumen tip segment has a substantially D-shaped cross-section.
15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising encasing the assembly to smoothen any irregularities along the attached portion of the longitudinal lengths.
16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming fluid passage holes in a side of a distal portion of at least one of the catheter tubes.
17 . A method of forming a catheter, comprising:
providing a first catheter tube having a cross-section including at least one substantially flat-sided surface and a second catheter tube having a cross-section including at least one substantially flat-sided surface; and
attaching at least a portion of the substantially flat-sided surfaces together to form a catheter assembly.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising allowing a distal portion of the first catheter tube to extend beyond a distal portion of the second catheter tube when at least a portion of their substantially flat-sided surfaces are attached.
19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising joining a lumen tip segment to the second catheter tube such that the lumen tip segment is in communication with the second catheter tube.
20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of attaching at least a portion of the catheter tubes further comprises heat bonding the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube.
21 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of attaching at least a portion of the catheter tubes further comprises adhesive or chemical reaction bonding the first catheter tube and the second catheter tube.
22 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising encasing the catheter assembly to smoothen any irregularities along the attached surfaces.
23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second catheter tubes each have a substantially D-shaped cross-section.
24 . A method of forming a split tip catheter, comprising:
attaching two tubes together along a portion of substantially flat surfaces of respective longitudinal lengths of the tubes; and
allowing distal portions of each of the tubes to remain unattached from each other.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of attaching the two tubes together further comprises attaching the tubes along substantially planar edges of respective D-shaped cross-sections of the tubes.
26 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising allowing proximal portions of the tubes to remain unattached from each other.
27 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising orienting the tubes such that the distal portion of one tube extends longitudinally beyond the distal portion of the other tube.
28 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising removing at least part of the distal portion of one of the tubes to form a first lumen tip segment such that the first lumen tip segment extends longitudinally beyond the other tube.
29 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising joining a lumen tip segment to the tube with a shorter distal portion such that the lumen tip segment is in communication with the tube with a shorter distal portion.
30 . The method of claim 27 , further comprising fusing together two tubes of different longitudinal lengths such that the distal portion of one tube extends longitudinally beyond the distal portion of the other tube.
31 . The method of claim 24 , further comprising securing a non-attached portion of the longitudinal lengths together with a bioresorbable adhesive.
32 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of attaching two tubes together further comprises fusing the tubes together along at least about 70% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
33 . A catheter assembly, comprising:
a first catheter body having a first lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter body;
a second catheter body having a second lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter body;
the first and second catheter bodies fused together along at least about 50% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
34 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the catheter bodies are fused together along at least about 70% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
35 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the catheter bodies are fused together along at least about 80% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
36 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the catheter bodies are fused together along at least about 90% of the longitudinal length of at least one of the tubes.
37 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the catheter bodies each have at least one flat surface and the bodies are fused together along their flat surfaces.
38 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein a non-fused portion of the longitudinal lengths are secured together with a bioresorbable adhesive.
39 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein a distal portion of the first catheter tube and a distal portion of the second catheter tube are separate from each other.
40 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein a distal portion of the first catheter tube and a distal portion of the second catheter tube are separate and diverge from each other at an angle.
41 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein a distal portion of the first catheter tube and a distal portion of the second catheter tube are separate and substantially parallel to each other.
42 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein a distal portion of the first catheter tube and a distal portion of the second catheter tube are oriented such that one tube extends longitudinally beyond the other tube.
43 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the first and second lumens each comprise a substantially D-shaped cross-section.
44 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein one of the first and second lumens has a cross-section shape different from the other lumen along at least a portion of its longitudinal length.
45 . The catheter assembly of claim 44 , wherein one of the first and second lumens has a cross-section size different from the other lumen along at least a portion of its longitudinal length.
46 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the assembly further comprises an outer sheath encasing the assembly along at least a portion of the fused longitudinal length.
47 . The catheter assembly of claim 33 , wherein the assembly further comprises fluid passage holes in a side of a distal portion of at least one of the catheter tubes.