Choosing the wrong catheter material can easily lead to these common issues

When selecting materials for new projects, neither overly soft nor overly rigid grades work well. This post outlines several typical material mismatches.

• Too soft: Poor pushability, prone to kinking, and difficult to navigate through tortuous pathways.
• Too rigid: Stiff handling when passing curved routes, with higher risk of tissue irritation.
• Insufficient support: Plain tubing lacks adequate kink resistance; braided reinforcement or spring liners are required for extra structural support.
• Recommended design principle: Gradual hardness transition. A stiffer proximal section delivers reliable pushability, while a softer distal segment minimizes tissue irritation.

The graded hardness profile can be achieved by co-extruding materials of different durometers. Braiding or spring reinforcement is incorporated structurally to boost support performance.

For material selection, we recommend defining the intended delivery method and target bend radius first, then determining the appropriate material hardness and structural solution accordingly.

Suzhou Anjun Precision Plastic Tubing works with customers to balance flexibility and pushability, customizing graded-hardness catheters and composite construction tubing.