Importance

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Abstract

Among other things, a catheter assembly including a main catheter portion and a deformable tip portion is disclosed. Embodiments of the catheter have a lumen extending between distal and proximal ends. The deformable portion is configured to transform from a compact shape to an expanded shape when it is inserted into a patient. The cross-sectional sizes and shapes of the deformable portion and catheter are similar or about the same; therefore, the compact shape mimics a traditional distal tip of a catheter during insertion into a patient. The physician can use a standard catheter insertion technique. As the deformable portion warms to the patient's body temperature, the deformable portion bulges to the expanded shape. The expanded shape helps attain laminar flow and increases the flow rate through the catheter. To activate the deformable portion to return to the compact shape, cold liquid is passed through the deformable portion.

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First Claim