In modern interventional medical technology, precision and safety are crucial for success. When doctors need to deliver delicate medical devices deep within the body's blood vessels, a seemingly simple tool plays a crucial role: the guide catheter. This specialized medical device acts like a "dedicated channel," providing a stable and safe path for complex surgeries. A guide catheter is a hollow, tubular medical device with a certain degree of rigidity and flexibility, primarily used in interventional procedures. It is typically made of a polymer material with a metal braid to provide support and torque control. Its primary function is to create a safe and stable passage for other interventional instruments, allowing them to reach the lesion smoothly. Working Principle and Applications Guide catheters enter the body through blood vessels. Their design combines flexibility and rigidity to adapt to the tortuosity of blood vessels. Their controllable torque allows doctors to precisely control the catheter's direction through external rotation, while their strong support helps other instruments overcome friction and resistance within the blood vessels. Guide catheters are a common and essential tool in various fields, including cardiology, neurology, and peripheral vascular medicine. Main Functions of Guide Catheters Guide catheters do more than simply establish access; they also perform several important tasks during surgery: Providing access: Guide catheters extend from the puncture site (such as the femoral or radial artery) to the target vessel, creating a stable "highway" that protects the guidewire and catheter from damage during passage. Providing Support: Within a vessel, especially narrow or tortuous lesions, instruments encounter significant resistance. A guide catheter acts as a "fulcrum," providing counterforce for instruments like guidewires and balloons. Enhancing Directional Control: By rotating the guide catheter, the physician can more precisely adjust the direction of the tip, crucial for selectively accessing specific branch vessels. Delivering Contrast Agent: Guide catheters can also be used to quickly and efficiently deliver contrast agent, helping the physician clearly visualize vascular lesions under X-rays. Guide Catheters Application Scenarios Guide catheters are widely used, particularly in the following areas: Cardiovascular Intervention: During PCI, physicians use guide catheters to precisely deliver stents into narrowed or occluded coronary arteries to restore blood flow. Neurointervention: In cerebrovascular disease treatments such as intracranial aneurysms or acute ischemic stroke, guide catheters facilitate microcatheter access for embolization or clot removal. Peripheral Vascular Intervention: For lower limb artery occlusion or renal artery stenosis, guide catheters provide reliable access, allowing angioplasty or stent placement. Safety and Risks of Use Guide catheters are generally safe to use, but because they are an invasive procedure, there are risks such as bleeding at the puncture site, infection, or vascular injury. These risks can usually be effectively managed by experienced physicians and a dedicated team. Preoperative evaluation and intraoperative monitoring are key to ensuring safety. The Difference Between Guide Catheters and Standard Catheters Although both are catheters, their uses and designs differ. Standard catheters are primarily used for diagnosis or fluid delivery, and have thinner walls and less support. Guide catheters, on the other hand, primarily provide a stable, controlled pathway for other interventional devices and offer additional support, which standard catheters lack. By providing a stable channel and support, guide catheters significantly improve the success rate and safety of interventional procedures. With advances in materials science and manufacturing processes, future guide catheters will be more flexible, more supportive, and potentially integrated with more functions, offering patients more precise and minimally invasive treatment options.

Simply put, an endoscope is a long, thin, tubular medical device equipped with a light source and a miniature camera. It allows doctors to enter the body through natural orifices (such as the esophagus, stomach, and intestines) or through a small incision to directly observe the internal conditions of organs and tissues. It consists of three main components: Light guide: Provides illumination, illuminating the interior of the body cavity. Image transmission system: Transmits real-time images of the body to an external screen. Operation channel: Allows doctors to insert micro-instruments such as biopsy forceps and electrocautery to perform procedures such as biopsy, hemostasis, or lesion removal. Types of Endoscopes: From Wired to Wireless Endoscopes can be categorized into several types based on their purpose and the site of entry. The most common are gastroscopes and colonoscopes, which are used for the digestive system. Gastroscopes: Primarily used to examine the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, they are important for diagnosing gastritis, ulcers, polyps, and early-stage gastric cancer. Colonoscopes: Used to examine the large and small intestines. Colonoscopy is an important method for detecting and removing colon polyps and preventing colorectal cancer. In addition, there are several specialized types of endoscopes, such as: Wireless capsule endoscopes: Patients simply swallow a capsule-sized endoscope, which captures images of the interior of the small intestine at a rate of several frames per second and wirelessly transmits these images to a receiver outside the body. This noninvasive and painless method is particularly suitable for examining small intestinal diseases. What are the Main Conditions for Endoscopy? Endoscopy is not only used for diagnosis but also an important tool for screening and monitoring many diseases. Diagnosis of gastrointestinal symptoms: When unexplained abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, acid reflux, nausea, vomiting, or gastrointestinal bleeding occur, endoscopy can help doctors identify the cause. Polyp and tumor screening: Endoscopy is an important method for screening for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers. During the examination, doctors can detect and remove precancerous lesions (such as polyps), preventing the progression of the disease. Lesion Monitoring: For diagnosed conditions, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, doctors perform regular endoscopic examinations to assess disease progression and treatment effectiveness. Advanced Applications of Endoscopy: From Diagnosis to Treatment The role of endoscopy is not limited to observation; in many cases, it can also serve as a treatment. Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS): Combining endoscopy and ultrasound technology, it can provide deeper tissue imaging, often used to assess the depth of invasion of gastrointestinal tumors and surrounding lymph nodes. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): Used for the diagnosis and treatment of biliary and pancreatic diseases, such as gallstones, strictures, or tumors. ERCP allows doctors to remove stones, place stents, or perform biopsies. Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Treatments: Many conditions that once required open surgery can now be performed endoscopically, such as: Gastrointestinal Hemostasis: Electrocoagulation or spraying of hemostatic drugs to treat bleeding lesions. Polypectomy: Directly removes digestive tract polyps to prevent them from becoming cancerous. Early Stage Surgical Dissection (ESD): For early-stage digestive tract cancers, doctors can completely dissect the lesion through endoscopy, achieving radical cure with minimal trauma and rapid recovery. The development of endoscopy has greatly advanced modern medicine. It enables doctors to gain a comprehensive understanding of the human body's internal structure with relatively minimal invasiveness, allowing for precise treatment. With continued technological advancements, future endoscopes will become even smaller and more intelligent, potentially incorporating AI-assisted diagnosis to further aid in the early detection and treatment of diseases. About Ningbo LINSTANT Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. Ningbo LINSTANT Polymer Materials Co., Ltd. was established in 2014 and has since grown into a national-level high-tech enterprise with over 500 professional staff members. The company is committed to transcending the role of a traditional component supplier, striving to become an integral part of its customers' products. From precise matching during the collaborative design phase to reliability assurance during manufacturing, LINSTANT deeply integrates into the core value chain of its customers' products, transforming catheter technology into a core competitive advantage for their products. Through continuous technological innovation and stringent quality control, we are capable of providing medical device companies with safer, more precise, and more technologically advanced customised catheter system solutions.

In the medical field, the requirements for cables and pipes are extremely stringent. They must not only provide excellent electrical insulation and physical protection, but also meet special requirements such as biocompatibility, high-temperature sterilization resistance, and precision assembly. Medical heat shrink tubing, due to its unique properties, plays a vital role in medical device manufacturing. The following describes the correct use of heat shrink tubing to help you achieve optimal results in medical applications. Main Types of Heat Shrink Tubing There are many types of heat shrink tubing, which can be categorized by material, shrink ratio, and application. Common ones include: Polyolefin heat shrink tubing The most widely used, offering excellent insulation, chemical resistance, and mechanical protection. Fluoropolymer heat shrink tubing (such as PTFE and PVDF) High-temperature and chemical resistance, low friction coefficient, suitable for precision medical equipment. Double-wall heat shrink tubing (with adhesive) Contains an inner layer of hot melt adhesive. When heated and shrinks, the adhesive fills gaps, providing waterproof and moisture-proof sealing. Silicone rubber heat shrink tubing Soft and flexible, with excellent biocompatibility, it's suitable for devices that require bending or expansion. What is heat shrink tubing? Heat shrink tubing is a tubular material that shrinks when heated. Common materials include polyolefins, fluoropolymers, and silicone rubber. During the production process, the material undergoes radiation cross-linking, heat expansion, and cooling to set the shape, allowing it to remain in its expanded state at room temperature. When heated again, the tubing shrinks back to its original size, tightly wrapping the object inside. In medical devices, heat shrink tubing is commonly used for: Electrical insulation and protection: Coating wires and connectors to prevent short circuits and mechanical damage. Biocompatible coating: Used on devices such as catheters and guidewires, it provides a smooth, non-toxic protective layer to reduce friction. Mechanical protection: Protects delicate components such as optical fibers and sensors from bending, abrasion, and chemical corrosion. Color identification: Different colors are used to distinguish the function of cables or tubing. Preparing for Use Select the Right Size: Before shrinking, the inner diameter should be 20%–50% larger than the maximum outer diameter of the object being covered. After shrinking, it should be slightly smaller than or equal to the outer diameter to ensure a tight fit. Clean Surface: Ensure the surface is clean, dry, and free of oil and dust, especially for heat shrink tubing with adhesive, to ensure a secure fit after shrinking. Smooth Cutting: Use scissors or a utility knife to cut the desired length. The cut should be straight and free of burrs. Proper Heating Method Even Heating: Adjust the heat gun temperature to an appropriate range. Start at one end and move slowly, heating evenly to avoid overheating. Observe Changes: During heating, the tubing will gradually shrink and adhere to the surface, resulting in a smooth, wrinkle-free surface. For heat shrink tubing with adhesive, a small amount of adhesive may overflow from the end. Cooling and Setting: After heating, allow the tubing to cool naturally to room temperature. Avoid touching or moving the tubing during this time. Precautions for Medical Applications Material Compliance: Select materials that meet ISO 10993 biocompatibility standards, such as medical-grade polyolefins, fluoropolymers, or silicone rubber. Clean Operation: It is recommended to operate in a cleanroom or controlled environment to prevent dust and microbial contamination. Sterilization Compatibility: Ensure that the heat shrink tubing can withstand high-temperature steam sterilization, ethylene oxide sterilization, or gamma irradiation sterilization without affecting performance.

A Micro Catheter is a very small, reinforced catheter, typically with an outer diameter between 0.70 and 1.30 mm. While there is no strict size definition, small catheters with diameters between 0.70 and 1.30 mm are often referred to as Micro Catheters. They are delicate medical devices used in minimally invasive interventional procedures and are widely used in peripheral, coronary, and neurovascular interventions. Micro Catheters offer excellent flexibility, maneuverability, and biocompatibility, effectively meeting the demands of clinical procedures. Their structure consists of an inner catheter layer, an intermediate reinforcement layer, and an outer layer. Their material properties, including biocompatibility, flexibility, and pushability, ensure stability and maneuverability within the vessel. Micro Catheters can be used for guidewire support/exchange, lesion traversal, and delivery of embolic agents and stents. They have a wide range of clinical applications, including coronary intervention, neurointervention, and tumor intervention. Micro Catheters are small, reinforced catheters, typically with an outer diameter less than 1 mm. They are commonly used in minimally invasive procedures involving complex vascular structures, enabling access to tiny vessels and cavities, such as neurovascular systems, for precise treatment. What are the advantages of this Micro Catheter?Micro Catheters offer several advantages, including the following: Precise Design: Micro Catheters feature a highly refined design that allows them to adapt to narrow vessels or complex surgical environments. Soft and Flexible: Micro Catheters are made of a soft plastic material that provides excellent flexibility and elasticity, minimizing damage to blood vessels or tissue. High-Quality Materials: Micro Catheters are made of high-quality materials with excellent biocompatibility and durability. Precise Manipulation: Micro Catheters enable precise manipulation, improving the success rate of surgery or treatment. Minimally Invasive: Micro Catheters excel in procedures requiring minimal tissue disturbance, reducing patient discomfort and recovery time. Precision: Their small size enables precise placement and delivery of therapeutic agents, such as embolic materials or contrast agents. Versatility: Micro Catheters have applications in medical specialties such as neurology, interventional radiology, and cardiology. Improved Imaging: Some Micro Catheters incorporate advanced imaging technology for real-time visualization during procedures. High Precision: Micro Catheters offer high precision, meeting the demands of clinical procedures. Customizable Hardness: Micro Catheters can be customized to various hardness levels, making them both pushable and flexible, enabling them to pass through narrow and curved lumens. Customizable Diameter: Micro Catheters can be customized to various diameters to accommodate variations in the diameter of blood vessels and other lumens. Rounded Head: The rounded head reduces damage to blood vessel walls and other tissues during surgery. These advantages make Micro Catheters widely applicable and clinically valuable in the medical field.

Medical polyimide tubing (PI tubing) is a high-performance material with broad application prospects in the medical field due to its unique physical and chemical properties. It features high toughness, high-temperature resistance, wear resistance, oxidation resistance, and radiation resistance, making it suitable for a wide range of medical devices and instruments. PI tubing's excellent electrical insulation properties, torque transmission capabilities, high-temperature resistance, ultra-smooth surface and transparency, flexibility and kink resistance, as well as excellent push and pull properties, make it a key component of high-tech products. The main performance characteristics of medical polyimide tubing (PI tubing) include: Excellent high-temperature resistance: Polyimide tubing can remain stable at extremely high temperatures, with long-term operating temperatures ranging from -200 to 300°C, and some materials can maintain performance above 400°C. Good electrical insulation properties: PI tubing has excellent electrical insulation properties, with a dielectric constant of approximately 3.4 and a dielectric strength of at least 120 kV/mm. In addition, its dielectric strength can reach 4000 V/.001", making it suitable for medical devices requiring high insulation. High Mechanical Strength and Toughness: PI tubing has high tensile strength (minimum 20,000 PSI) and excellent fatigue resistance, making it suitable for medical devices that must withstand high pressure and tension. Ultra-Smooth Surface: The smooth inner surface of PI tubing is less susceptible to adhesion, making it suitable for liquid transport and preventing clogging. Biocompatibility: PI tubing has excellent biocompatibility and complies with ISO 10993 and USP. Class VI biocompatibility requirements make it suitable for medical devices that come into direct contact with the human body. Chemical Resistance: PI tubing exhibits excellent corrosion resistance to a wide range of chemicals and is suitable for disinfectants and chemicals commonly used in medical environments. Low Friction: PI tubing's low coefficient of friction helps reduce resistance during operation, improving device flexibility and operational efficiency. Lightweight and Flexible: PI tubing is lightweight, flexible, and kink-resistant, making it suitable for medical devices requiring high flexibility. Processability: PI tubing is easy to cut, bend, and connect, facilitating the manufacture and installation of medical devices. Radiation Resistance: PI tubing exhibits excellent radiation resistance and is suitable for applications requiring high radiation resistance. Medical applications. What does biocompatibility of PI tubing mean? How is biocompatibility achieved? The biocompatibility of PI tubing refers to its ability to elicit an appropriate and safe host response when in contact with human tissue or body fluids. Specifically, this means that the PI material does not cause adverse reactions such as toxicity, irritation, inflammation, allergy, coagulation, or hemolysis in medical applications, while also interacting well with biological systems, thus supporting its long-term use in medical devices. Biocompatibility assessment involves multiple aspects, including in vitro and in vivo testing. In vitro testing typically includes cytotoxicity testing, blood compatibility testing (such as anticoagulant and antihemolytic properties), and immune response testing. For example, studies of the This study demonstrates that PI has no cytotoxic effects on mouse fibroblasts, human retinal pigment epithelial cells, and human brain microvascular endothelial cells. Furthermore, PI materials exhibit excellent blood compatibility, meaning they do not cause hemolysis or coagulation. In vivo experiments further validate the biological responses of PI materials in living environments. For example, some commercial PI materials have undergone in vivo studies to confirm their compatibility with living organisms. These studies typically involve testing for acute systemic toxicity, irritation, pyrogenicity, sensitization, immune system response, and long-term implantation. Biocompatibility depends not only on the chemical properties of the material itself but also on a variety of factors, including its physical properties, processing techniques, surface treatment, and degradation products in the body. Impact. For example, the simplified synthesis and manufacturing process of poly(Iotaly Polymer) materials reduces the number of leachable sources, thereby improving their biocompatibility. Furthermore, their chemical resistance and tolerance to routine sterilization ensure their widespread application in the medical field. Biocompatibility assessments typically adhere to the requirements of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 10993 and the national standard GB/T 16886. These standards cover the entire material lifecycle, from design to market approval, and emphasize the interaction between the material and the biological framework. When assessing biocompatibility, factors such as the material's shape, size, surface roughness, residual toxic low-molecular substances, processing contamination, and in vivo degradation products need to be considered.

In modern medicine, minimally invasive surgery and interventional therapy have become important means of diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. In order to improve the accuracy and safety of surgery, medical equipment is also constantly innovating. Among them, the steerable sheath, as a new type of interventional tool, is gradually changing the operation mode of traditional surgery due to its unique design and excellent performance. What is a steerable sheath?A steerable sheath is a medical device with adjustable distal bend. Its core feature is that the angle of the sheath end can be adjusted in vitro, so that it can point to a precise position in the patient's body to adapt to different anatomical structures. This design allows doctors to more flexibly guide other instruments into the target area during surgery without relying on complex guidewires or multiple attempts. Compared with traditional sheaths, the biggest advantage of steerable sheaths is their adjustability and controllability. It is usually composed of multiple layers of materials, including an outer braided structure, a middle reinforcing rib, and an inner layer of low friction coefficient materials (such as PTFE) to ensure good anti-kinking, pushing performance and tissue compatibility during operation. What is the difference between a sheath and a catheter?Before discussing the steerable sheath, it is necessary to understand the difference between it and the catheter in order to better understand its positioning and function in medical treatment. Sheath is mainly used to establish and maintain a channel so that other instruments (such as guidewires, catheters, biopsy needles, etc.) can enter the body smoothly. Sheaths are usually thicker than catheters, have a certain hardness and stability, and can protect the blood vessel wall or cavity from damage. In interventional surgery, sheaths are often used to guide the catheter into the target site and help the catheter withdraw after the operation is completed to avoid additional damage to the tissue. Catheters are mainly used to transport liquids, gases or drugs, such as contrast agents, blood, drugs or nutrient solutions. Catheters are usually slender, soft and easy to bend, suitable for occasions requiring delicate operations, such as cardiac catheters, infusion catheters, etc. Therefore, the sheath is the "shell" or "channel" of the catheter, and the catheter is the "working tool" that enters the body through the sheath. The emergence of steerable sheaths is precisely to provide more stable and precise guidance support during catheter operation. How does a steerable sheath work?The working principle of a steerable sheath is based on the design of traction wire and reinforcement ribs. Its core structure includes: Traction wire: located inside the sheath, controlled by the sliding device on the handle, the bending direction and angle of the end of the sheath can be adjusted. Reinforcement rib: set inside the sheath to locate the bending direction of the tube body, so that the sheath can adaptively adjust the bending to conform to the complex vascular system of the human body. Braided structure: enhances the torsion control ability of the sheath to prevent kinking during operation, while improving its torsion resistance and pushing performance. Round tip: reduces damage to tissues and is suitable for operations on sensitive parts such as blood vessels and nerves. PTFE inner layer: reduces the friction coefficient, allowing other instruments (such as guide wires and catheters) to pass easily and improve the smoothness of operation. In actual operation, the doctor can control the traction wire through the handle to bend the end of the sheath to the desired angle, thereby guiding the catheter into the target area. This design not only improves the accuracy of the operation, but also reduces the dependence on X-rays and reduces the risk of surgery. Due to its high precision and good maneuverability, steerable sheaths have been widely used in many medical fields, including: Neurointervention: used for cerebral angiography, stent implantation, aneurysm embolization and other surgeries. Cardiac intervention: used for coronary angioplasty, heart valve replacement and other surgeries. Vascular intervention: used for peripheral angioplasty, thrombus removal, filter implantation and other surgeries. Tumor intervention: used for tumor embolization, chemotherapy drug infusion and other surgeries. In these surgeries, steerable sheaths can help doctors locate and operate more accurately, reduce operation time, improve success rate, and reduce the incidence of complications. As an innovative medical device, steerable sheaths are gradually changing the operation mode of traditional interventional surgery. It not only improves the accuracy and safety of the operation, but also provides doctors with a more flexible and controllable operating environment. With the continuous advancement of technology, steerable sheaths are expected to play an important role in more fields and bring better medical services to patients.