RADIOPAQUE LINED HEAT SHRINKABLE TUBING
A radiopaque lined heat shrinkable tubing is disclosed. A non-limiting example of a radiopaque lined heat shrinkable tubing is a multilayer construction having an inner layer and an outer layer, wherein the inner layer includes a thermoplastic that is highly loaded with a radiopaque filler, and the outer layer includes a fluoropolymer heat shrink tube.
1 . A tube, comprising:
an inner layer comprising thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoplastic is loaded with a radiopaque material; and
an outer layer comprising a fluoropolymeric material.
2 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises one or more of Polyamide or Pebax (Poly-ether-block-amide).
3 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises the radiopaque material in an amount of about 5% to about 80% by weight, based on a total weight of the inner layer.
4 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises the radiopaque material in an amount of about 25% to about 50% by weight, based on a total weight of the inner layer.
5 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer comprises the radiopaque material in an amount of about 30% to about 40% by weight, based on a total weight of the inner layer.
6 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque material is dispersed substantially uniformly throughout the inner layer.
7 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer is peelable.
8 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque material comprises barium sulfate.
9 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the radiopaque material comprises one or more of bismuth oxychloride, bismuth subcarbonate and tungsten metal powder.
10 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer has an average wall thickness of about 0.010″.
11 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner layer has an average wall thickness between 0.005″ and 0.020″.
12 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymeric material of the outer layer comprises fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP).
13 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymeric material of the outer layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).
14 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymeric material of the outer layer comprises perfluoroalkoxy alkanes (PFA).
15 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer has a higher melt point than the inner layer.
16 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein the inner and outer layers are in expanded form.
17 . The tube of claim 1 , wherein a shrink ratio of an expanded inner diameter of the tube to a recovered inner diameter of the tube is greater than 1.2:1.
18 . A medical device manufactured using the tube of claim 1 .
19 . The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the outer layer is removed.
20 . A medical device comprising a tubing, wherein the tubing comprises a thermoplastic material loaded with a radiopaque material.
21 . A medical device comprising the tube of claim 1 .
22 . A medical device comprising at least the inner layer of the tube of claim 1 .
23 . The medical device of claim 18 , wherein the medical device is a catheter.
24 . The medical device of claim 23 , wherein the outer layer of the tube is removed during assembly of the medical device.