Advantages of Laser Cut Hypotubes in Interventional Devices

By Chamfr Team

April 16, 2024

Create a thinner, higher performance medical device using a laser-cut hypotube

When working on designing an interventional device, many engineers use a braided shaft to build a flexible catheter — often using a reflow process with a PTFE liner and Pebax outer jacket. Yet, in recent years, there’s been an industry shift thanks to laser cutting technology improvements.

With these improvements, it’s now possible to create thinner, higher performing medical devices using a laser-cut hypotube. Laser cut hypotubes refer to thin-walled metal tubes that are precisely machined using laser technology. They possess exceptional dimensional accuracy, structural integrity, and customizable features. By leveraging advanced laser cutting techniques, engineers can create intricate patterns on the hypotube, imparting specific mechanical properties to the catheter shaft.

Here are some of the distinct advantages of laser cut hypotubes over braiding and coiling:

• Unparalleled Design Flexibility: Laser cut hypotubes offer unprecedented design adaptability, allowing you to incorporate any number of patterns into a single monolithic part. 
• Effortless Trackability and Pushability: These tubes ensure smooth maneuverability which allows for precise access to the intended treatment area.
• Enhanced Kink Resistance and Unwavering Lumen Integrity: They exhibit outstanding kink resistance, maintaining the catheter’s structural integrity even in complex and tortuous anatomies.
• Precision in 1:1 Torque Transmission: Precisely created patterns enable 1:1 torque transmission, transmitting the rotational force to the catheter’s distal end.
• Streamlined Manufacturing Process: Laser cut hypotubes allow you to dictate the catheter’s flex profile in the reinforcement layer reducing the need for many different durometer jackets and reducing the number of bonds needed to construct a finished catheter.

These technological improvements allow engineers to push the boundaries of innovation!

Check out Symmetry Laser’s full blog post to learn more about the benefits of laser cut hypotubes.

Chamfr has 225 in-stock laser cut hypotubes from Symmetry Laser – all in-stock and ready to ship.