Guiding Medical Devices and Associated Methods of Manufacturing

1 . A catheter assembly, comprising:

an inner liner made of flexible material; and

an outer layer having a steering mechanism, the steering mechanism comprising:

at least one wire; and

a corresponding lumen for each of the at least one wire through which the wire may travel;

wherein the outer layer comprises a braided wire assembly that includes at least two wires braided into a wire mesh; and

wherein the outer layer comprises a see-through portion positioned proximate a pull wire extraction location to facilitate extraction.

2 . The catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the braided wire assembly is braided in a substantially consistent braid pattern over its length.

3 . The catheter assembly of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises a plurality of segments of decreasing durometer from proximal end to distal end.

4 . The catheter assembly of claim 3 , wherein a distal segment of the plurality of segments is of a lower durometer PEBAX than a proximal segment of the plurality of segments.

5 . The catheter assembly of claim 4 , wherein a distal segment of the plurality of segments is of a higher durometer PEBAX than a proximal segment of the plurality of segments.

6 . A method of manufacturing a catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing a mandrel;

placing a lining material over the mandrel to form an inner liner;

placing a thermoplastic elastomer layer over the inner liner, at least along the mandrel at a location where one or more pull wires will be extracted;

providing at least one pull wire;

placing a flexible liner over each of the at least one pull wires to create at least one lumen;

placing a braided wire assembly over the inner liner and the at least one lumen, the braided wire assembly including at least two wires braided into a wire mesh;

providing pull wire access areas in the braided wire assembly;

covering the braided wire assembly with one or more melt processing polymers having decreasing durometers from proximal to distal end of the mandrel;

covering a portion of the braided wire assembly proximate the location where the one or more pull wires will be extracted with a melt processing polymer that is substantially see-through;

applying sufficient heat to the one or more melt processing polymers and the see-through melt processing polymer to raise the temperature of the polymer above its melting point;

cooling the assembly; and

removing the mandrel, thereby forming a catheter.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the braided wire assembly is placed over the inner liner and the at least one lumen in a consistent braid pattern.

8 . A method of manufacturing a catheter, comprising the steps of:

providing a mandrel;

placing a lining material over the mandrel to form an inner liner;

providing at least one wire;

placing a flexible liner over each of the at least one wires to create at least one lumen;

placing a braided wire assembly over the inner liner and the at least one lumen, the braided wire assembly including at least two wires braided into a wire mesh;

covering the braided wire assembly with one or more melt processing polymers having a durometer at the proximal end that differs from the durometer at the distal end of the mandrel;

applying sufficient heat to the melt processing polymers to raise the temperature of the polymer above their melting point;

cooling the assembly; and

removing the mandrel, thereby forming a catheter.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the durometer at the distal end is greater than the durometer at the proximal end.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the durometer at the distal end is less than the durometer at the proximal end.

11 . The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

covering a portion of the braided wire assembly proximate the location where the one or more pull wires will be extracted with a melt processing polymer that is substantially see-through;

applying sufficient heat to the one or more melt processing polymers and the see-through melt processing polymer to raise the temperature of the polymer above its melting point.