referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views , fig1 is a plan view of a catheter in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the current invention . according to the preferred embodiment of the current invention , a catheter 10 comprises an elongate support member 12 , a mid - region 14 , and a distal region 16 . mid - region 14 further comprises a proximal end 22 and a distal end 24 . elongate support member 12 includes a proximal end 18 and a distal end 20 . distal end 20 of elongate support member 12 connects with a proximal end 22 of mid - region 14 . a distal end 24 of mid - region 14 connects with a proximal end 26 of distal region 16 of catheter 10 . distal region 16 may include multiple therapeutics including , but not limited to , an angioplasty balloon 28 . the catheter further comprises a guidewire 30 for use in guiding the catheter to an area of interest . the catheter may include both single operator exchange ( soe ) or over the wire ( otw ) catheters known to those skilled in the art . further , multiple embodiments of the current invention utilize the improved elongate support member in catheters and other devices as disclosed in accordance with the current invention . fig2 is a cross - sectional view of the elongate support member wherein the linkage includes an asymmetric sheath . the asymmetric sheath connects the flanges 32 according to the preferred embodiment of the current invention . an elongate support member 112 is formed to define a plurality of flanges 32 . elongate support member 112 may be formed by a multiplicity of methods . for example , the elongate support member may be formed by rolling a metallic sheet into shape that is preferably generally hemi - cylindrical , generally semi - cylindrical , generally rounded , partially rounded , or combinations thereof . these shapes define a plurality of flanges for multiple embodiments of the current invention . flanges 32 are connected by a linkage 34 . linkage 34 , as shown in fig2 further comprises an asymmetric sheath 36 . linkage 34 may be manufactured from a multiplicity of materials including , but not limited to , thermoplastics , high performance engineering resins , polymers , polyethylene ( pe ), polypropylene ( pp ), polyvinylchloride ( pvc ), polyurethane , polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ), polyether - ether ketone ( peek ), polyimide , polyamide , polyphenylene sulfide ( pps ), polyphenylene oxide ( ppo ), polysufone , nylon , and perfluoro ( propyl vinyl ether ) ( pfa ). in an alternative embodiment of the current invention , the flanges are connected by adhesives . the adhesives include , but are not limited to , epoxy or polyurethane . sheath 36 may be attached to the elongate support member by a multiplicity of methods including , but not limited to , heat shrinking . when using heat shrinking , according to the preferred embodiment of the current invention , the sheath is disposed about the elongate support member and attached to it . the sheath is then adhered to the elongate support member using heat shrinking methods known in the art . connection of flanges 32 defines a lumen 38 . lumen 38 may enable communication between the proximal and distal ends of the catheter . for example , lumen 38 may be used as an inflation lumen for angioplasty balloons . preferably , the inner surface of elongate support member 112 is coated with a coating 40 . for example , the elongate support member may be coated with polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ). coating 40 preferably forms a lower friction surface . in an exemplary embodiment of the current invention , the coated surface may provide a means for releasing a wire used to maintain the lumen within the elongate support member , when the elongate support member is formed using over wire extrusion . fig3 is an alternate cross - sectional view of the elongate support member wherein a linkage that connects the flanges is attached to the elongate support member by over wire extrusion . over wire extrusion , familiar to those skilled in the art , can be used to manufacture the proximal end of a catheter according to multiple embodiments of the current invention . elongate support member 212 is formed to define a plurality of flanges 132 . forming elongate support member 212 may occur as discussed above . flanges 132 can be connected by linkage 134 . linkage 134 may further comprise sheath 136 . linkage 134 may be manufactured from a multiplicity of materials including , but not limited to , thermoplastics , high performance engineering resins , polymers , polyethylene ( pe ), polypropylene ( pp ), polyvinylchloride ( pvc ), polyurethane , polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ), polyether - ether ketone ( peek ), polyimide , polyamide , polyphenylene sulfide ( pps ), polyphenylene oxide ( ppo ), polysufone , nylon , and perfluoro ( propyl vinyl ether ) ( pfa ). preferably , linkage 134 is attached to elongate support member 212 by over wire extrusion , wherein a wire 42 is placed along an inner surface of elongate support member 212 . extrusion results in the attachment of linkage 134 to elongate support member 212 , connecting flanges 132 . additionally , linkage 134 may further comprise sheath 136 , including an asymmetric sheath . wire 42 , preferably , is placed along an inner surface of elongate support member 212 . wire 42 can be used to form a lumen within elongate support member 212 . for example , wire 42 can be places along an inner surface of elongate support member 212 prior to extrusion . next , elongate support member 212 is subjected to extrusion , wherein linkage 134 connects flanges 132 . wire 42 , prevents linkage 134 from entering the lumen defined by connection of flanges 132 . following extrusion , the lumen can be recovered by removing wire 42 . the inner surface of elongate support member 212 may be coated with coating 140 . for example , elongate support member 212 may be coated with polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ). coating 140 preferably forms a lower friction surface . in an exemplary embodiment of the current invention , the coated surface may provide a means for releasing a wire used to maintain the lumen within the elongate support member , when the elongate support member is formed using over wire extrusion . one skilled in the art would be familiar with the use of coating an elongate support member appropriate for multiple embodiments of the current invention . fig4 is an alternate cross - sectional view of the elongate support member wherein the linkage includes a polymer cap . the polymer cap may be attached to the elongate support member by a multiplicity of methods including , but not limited to , thermal binding , thermal binding using a primer or coupling agent , and using adhesives . elongate support member 312 is formed to define a plurality of flanges 232 . elongate support member 312 may be formed by a multiplicity of methods , as described above . for example , the elongate support member may be formed by rolling a metallic sheet , cutting hollow cylindrical stock , modifying hypodermic tubing , or extrusion . after forming the elongate support member , it may resemble shapes that can be , but are not limited to , generally hemi - cylindrical , generally semi - cylindrical , generally rounded , partially rounded , and combinations thereof . these shapes define a plurality of flanges for multiple embodiments of the current invention . flanges 232 are connected by polymer cap linkage 234 . additionally , the linkage may further comprise sheath 236 . the polymer cap linkage may be manufactured from a multiplicity of materials including , but not limited to , polymers , thermoplastics , high performance engineering resins , polymers , polyethylene ( pe ), polypropylene ( pp ), polyvinylchloride ( pvc ), polyurethane , polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ), polyether - ether ketone ( peek ), polyimide , polyamide , polyphenylene sulfide ( pps ), polyphenylene oxide ( ppo ), polysufone , nylon , and perfluoro ( propyl vinyl ether ) ( pfa ). in an alternative embodiment of the current invention , the flanges are connected by adhesives . the adhesives include , but are not limited to , epoxy or polyurethane . in an exemplary embodiment , connection of flanges 232 is accomplished by first attaching a coupling agent or primer 44 to flanges 232 . the coupling agent then can enable the attachment of polymer cap 234 to connect flanges 232 . one skilled in the art would be familiar with attaching a polymer cap using differing coupling agents or primers according to multiple embodiments of the current invention . further , the polymer cap may be attached without the use of a coupling agent or primer . the inner surface of elongate support member 312 may be coated with a coating 240 . for example , the elongate support member may be coated with polytetrafluoroethylene ( ptfe ). the coating preferably forms a lower friction surface . in an exemplary embodiment of the current invention , the coated surface may provide a means for releasing a wire used to maintain the lumen within the elongate support member , when the elongate support member is formed using over wire extrusion . alternate embodiments of the current invention can be conceived that combine over wire extrusion with the attachment of a polymer cap . numerous advantages of the invention covered by this document have been set forth in the foregoing description . it will be understood , however , that this disclosure is , in many respects , only illustrative . changes may be made in details , particularly in matters of shape , size , and arrangement of steps without exceeding the scope of the invention . the invention &# 39 ; s scope is , of course , defined in the language in which the appended claims are expressed .
the present invention relates generally to elongate support members , preferably for use with a catheter for performing medical procedures including percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty . an elongate support member comprising a proximal end and a distal end is disclosed . the proximal end of the elongate support member is formed to define a plurality of flanges . a linkage connects the flanges , and a lumen within the shaft is defined by connecting the flanges . the elongate support member comprises an improved catheter shaft design that maintains pushability , flexibility , and torquability while limiting kinking .