Cardiovascular Catheter Tipping and Joining

Phillip Leopold, president of Medical Murray Inc. (North Barrington, IL), will present "Cardiovascular Catheter Tipping and Joining" at the Innovation Briefs Theater at MD&M Minneapolis on Wednesday, November 2, at 12:15 pm. Medical Murray specializes in the design, development, testing, and manufacture of a variety of medical devices, including catheters.

MPMN: What is the significance of catheter tipping?

Leopold: Cardiovascular catheters must pass through complicated geometry inside the body while ensuring minimal trauma to the vessels. The catheter tip creates the leading edge of that catheter. It is important to be able to identify the tip position under fluoroscopy, and often the tip must perform complicated functions, such as placing implants or delivering drugs. Such tasks typically require the use of different materials for the catheter tip as well as special geometry and integration with other components in order to be visible under fluoroscopy. It is also necessary to provide smooth transitions for other components, such as guidewires, needles, and other catheters.

MPMN: What will be the focus of your presentation?
 
Leopold: This presentation will outline the numerous methods available for bonding different materials to the catheter tips, forming the special geometries, integrating marker bands into the tip, and using special fillers for visibility. The various tools and equipment for these processes will be reviewed, including injection molding, radio-frequency heating, hot-air heating, heat-shrink bonding, and machining. Limitations on material combinations and testing the bond strength will also be discussed.
 
MPMN: What do you hope attendees will learn from your presentation?
 
Leopold: Nearly every catheter requires some type of tip, even if it is just a rounded edge of the base extrusion used in the catheter. New processes are available to create unique geometries and facilitate integration of other features. A better understanding of what is possible can provide end product developers with new features that allow them to create better products.