Micro-cutting systems for forming cuts in products and micro-fabricated devices made thereby

Abstract

Polymer catheters and guidewires for use in intravascular surgery, and more particularly polymer catheters and guidewires micro-machined with a micro-cutting machine to provide sufficient flexibility to travel through a patient's vasculature while retaining sufficient torquability to transmit torque from a proximal end to the distal end of the catheter or guidewire, and methods of producing the same.

1 . An intravascular device, comprising:
 an elongated member having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the distal portion includes
 an outer surface, 
 an inner surface, and 
 a plurality of fenestrations formed therein, the fenestrations having a depth extending between the outer surface and the inner surface, and the fenestrations defining a plurality of radially extending beams and axially extending beams; and 
   an elastomeric filling material encapsulating the distal portion and filling the full depth of the fenestrations between the outer surface and the inner surface of the elongated member.