JP2010207321A - Catheter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a catheter for achieving excellent maneuverability. <P>SOLUTION: The catheter 10 has: a tube body (sheath 16) including a main lumen 20 and a sub-lumen 30 of a smaller diameter than the main lumen 20; and an operation wire 40 which is slidably inserted into the sub-lumen 30 and has a tip part 41 fixed to a distal end part 15 of the sheath 16. The proximal end part of the operation wire 40 is pulled to bend the distal end part 15 of the sheath 16. The manipulation wire 40 is obtained by hydrophobizing a surface of a strand wire which is obtained by twisting a plurality of wires. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a catheter.

In recent years, there has been provided a catheter capable of manipulating the direction of entry into a body cavity by bending a distal end portion. As one of the modes for bending the distal end of the catheter, one in which a push / pull wire (operation line) fixed to the distal end is operated on the proximal end side is known (see Patent Document 1 below) ).
The operation line is penetrated into a wire lumen (sublumen) having a smaller diameter than a main lumen (main lumen) through which the guide wire is inserted, and the distal end of the catheter can be bent when the operation line is pushed.

Special table 2007-507305 gazette

High slidability is required for the operation line inserted through the sub-lumen. If the slidability of the operation line relative to the sublumen is poor, the traction load of the operation line is prevented from being transmitted to the distal end of the catheter, and the distal end of the catheter can It will not bend reliably and the operability will be reduced.
Here, if the distal end of the catheter does not bend immediately after pulling the operating line, doctors who pull the operating line while observing the distal end of the catheter under fluoroscopy are mistakenly excessive. There is a risk of pulling the operation line.

  On the other hand, recent catheters have been reduced in diameter from the viewpoint of penetration into blood vessels and the like, and those having an outer diameter of 1 mm or less have been provided. In this case, from the viewpoint of securing a predetermined inner diameter in the main lumen used for supplying medicines or inserting an optical system, it is desired that the inner diameter of the sub-lumen is suppressed to an extremely small diameter of 10 to several tens μm or less. Yes.

  In the catheter described in Patent Document 1, a metal wire having a circular cross section is used as an operation line. However, in recent catheters in which the diameter of sublumen is reduced as described above, there is room for improvement in terms of slidability. there were.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a catheter that can realize good operability even in recent extremely thin catheters.

The catheter of the present invention, a tubular body comprising a main lumen and a sub-lumen having a smaller diameter than the main lumen;
An operation line that is slidably inserted into the sub-lumen and has a tip fixed to a distal end of the tubular body,
A catheter that bends the distal end of the tubular body by pulling the proximal end of the manipulation line;
The operation line is formed by hydrophobizing the surface of a stranded wire in which a plurality of fine wires are twisted together.

In the catheter of the present invention, as a more specific embodiment, a hydrophobic resin layer is formed on the surface of the stranded wire,
The outer shape of the operation line in the cross section may be a non-circular convex shape.

  In the catheter of the present invention, as a more specific embodiment, the tubular main body may be made of a resin material containing an inorganic filler.

  In the catheter of the present invention, as a more specific embodiment, the operation line may have a plurality of sublumens through which the operation lines are slidably inserted.

  Note that the various components of the present invention do not have to be individually independent, that a plurality of components are formed as one member, and one component is formed of a plurality of members. It may be that a certain component is a part of another component, a part of a certain component overlaps a part of another component, and the like.

In the catheter of the present invention, the operation wire is a stranded wire obtained by twisting a plurality of thin wires. For this reason, compared with the case where the operation line is a wire having a circular cross section, the contact area between the operation line and the inner wall of the sublumen is reduced, and the slidability of the operation line with respect to the tubular body is suppressed. Further, the operation line is formed by subjecting the surface of the stranded wire to a hydrophobic treatment. For this reason, even if moisture in the body cavity or the atmosphere enters the sublumen in a liquid or gas state, the operation line does not adhere to the inner wall of the sublumen.
For this reason, in the catheter of the present invention, the slidability between the operation line and the tubular body is extremely good, and the distal end of the catheter is bent quickly and reliably by the load caused by the traction operation.
Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a catheter with high operability regardless of the recent tendency to reduce the diameter.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows an example of the catheter obtained by this method. It is II-II sectional drawing of FIG. It is a side view explaining operation | movement of a catheter, (a) is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the catheter of a natural state, (b) is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the catheter of the state which pulled the operation line. It is a cross-sectional view of an operation line. It is a schematic block diagram of the manufacturing apparatus of a sheath. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the resin material extruded from die | dye, and an operation line. It is a cross-sectional view of the operation line which concerns on the modification of this embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same reference numerals are given to the same components, and the description will be omitted as appropriate.

<Catheter>
FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the catheter 10 of the present embodiment cut in the longitudinal direction. The left side of the figure corresponds to the distal end (tip) DE side of the catheter 10, and the right side corresponds to the proximal end (base end) PE side. However, in the same figure, the proximal end PE side of the catheter 10 is not shown.
2 is a cross-sectional view (cross-sectional view) taken along the line II-II in FIG.

First, the outline | summary of the catheter 10 of this embodiment is demonstrated.
The catheter 10 of the present embodiment is inserted into a tubular body (sheath 16) having a main lumen 20 and a sub-lumen 30 having a smaller diameter than the main lumen 20, and is slidably inserted into the sub-lumen 30 to have a distal end portion 41. Has a manipulation line 40 fixed to the distal end 15 of the sheath 16.
In the catheter 10, the distal end portion 15 of the sheath 16 is bent by pulling the proximal end portion 42 of the operation line 40.
And in the catheter 10 of this embodiment, the operation line 40 hydrophobizes the surface of the strand wire 44 which twisted together the several thin wire | line 43 mutually.

Hereinafter, the catheter 10 of this embodiment will be described in more detail.
As shown in FIG. 2, the catheter 10 has a plurality of sub-lumens 30 distributed in the circumferential direction of the main lumen 20. The sub-lumens 30 and the main lumen 20 and the sub-lumen 30 are provided separately from each other.

More specifically, the catheter 10 of the present embodiment includes a plurality (three) of sublumens 30 through which the operation lines 40 are slidably inserted.
The three sub-lumens 30 are arranged around the main lumen 20 at intervals of 120 degrees.

FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining the operation of the catheter 10 of the present embodiment. FIG. 4A is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the catheter 10 in a natural state, that is, in a state where the operation line 40 is not pulled. FIG. 2B is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the catheter 10 with the operation line 40 pulled.
3, only one of the three operation lines 40 in the catheter 10 is illustrated.

  The distal end portion 41 of the operation line 40 is fixed to the distal end portion 15 of the sheath 16. Here, the distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10 refers to a predetermined length region including the distal end DE of the catheter 10. Similarly, the proximal end portion 17 of the catheter 10 refers to a predetermined length region including the proximal end PE of the catheter 10.

A base end portion 42 of the operation line 40 protrudes from the sub-lumen 30 toward the proximal end PE and is connected to the operation portion 70.
The operation part 70 provided on the proximal end PE side of the sheath 16 is a mechanism for bending the distal end part 15 of the catheter 10 by pulling the three operation lines 40 individually or simultaneously. Detailed illustration and description regarding the structure of the operation unit 70 are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, when the operation portion 70 is operated and the proximal end portion 42 of the operation line 40 is pulled rightward in the drawing as indicated by an arrow, the operation line is not connected to the distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10. A tensile force is applied through 40. When the tensile force is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the distal end portion 15 of the sheath 16 bends from the axial center of the catheter 10 toward the sub-lumen 30 through which the operation line 40 is inserted.

  Here, the bending of the sheath 16 includes a mode in which the sheath 16 bends in a “shape” and a mode in which the sheath 16 is bent like a bow.

  The distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10 can be bent in any direction over the 360-degree turning direction by individually controlling the pulling lengths of the three operation lines 40. Thereby, the direction of the distal end DE of the catheter 10 can be freely controlled only by the pulling operation of the operation line 40 without performing the torque operation for rotating the entire catheter 10 inserted into the endoscope. It becomes possible. For this reason, the catheter 10 of this embodiment can be made to approach in a desired direction, for example with respect to body cavities, such as a branching blood vessel.

  The operation line 40 of this embodiment is made of a very fine diameter wire material, and when the base end portion 42 is pushed into the sub-lumen 30, the operation line 40 is buckled. Therefore, the pushing force is not substantially applied to the distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10. For this reason, even if a pushing force is applied to the operation line 40 by operating the operation unit 70, the operation line 40 does not protrude from the distal end DE of the catheter 10 and protrude from the distal end DE. This ensures the safety of the subject when operating the catheter 10 inserted into the body cavity.

  4A and 4B are cross-sectional views in which the operation line 40 is cut in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction. Here, two examples of the operation line 40 are shown.

  An operation line 40 shown in FIG. 6A is obtained by twisting a plurality of fine wires 43 into a stranded wire 44 and forming a hydrophobic coating layer 45 on the peripheral surface of the stranded wire 44. In FIG. 5A, a twisted wire 44 is shown by twisting these thin wires 43 in a state where seven fine wires 43 having the same diameter are arranged in close contact with a star shape.

  The operation line 40 shown in FIG. 6B is a stranded wire 44 formed by twisting together a plurality of fine wires 43 each having a hydrophobic coating layer 45 formed on each peripheral surface. In FIG. 5B, a twisted wire 44 is shown by twisting each other in a state where three thin wires 43 having the same diameter, which are previously formed on the peripheral surface of the covering layer 45, are arranged in close contact with each other. .

  Thus, in the operation line 40 of this embodiment, the surface of each thin wire 43 constituting the stranded wire 44 may be individually hydrophobized, or the surface of the thin wire 43 is partially hydrophobized. The entire surface of the stranded wire 44 may be hydrophobized. Further, as will be described with reference to a modification example described later, the present invention does not necessarily require the entire surface of the stranded wire 44 to be hydrophobic, and the effect of improving the slidability with respect to the sub-lumen 30 is exhibited. As long as it is, it may be partially hydrophobized.

  In addition to flexible metal wires such as low carbon steel (piano wire), stainless steel (SUS), titanium or titanium alloy, the fine wire 43 is made of poly (paraphenylene benzobisoxazole, polyether ether ketone (PEEK). ), Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polyimide (PI) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and a polymer fiber such as boron fiber can be used.

The number of the thin wires 43 is not particularly limited, but is 2 or more, preferably 3 or more.
The outer shape of the stranded wire 44 formed by twisting the fine wires 43 is 25 to 55 μm.

As the covering layer 45, a hydrophobic resin material can be used. Examples of such resin materials include polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide resins, silane compounds such as dichlorodimethylsilane, or silicone esters.
In addition, the coating layer 45 may be formed by hydrophobizing the surface of the stranded wire 44 by a surface treatment such as a plasma treatment.

  As shown in each figure of FIG. 4, the operation line 40 of this embodiment has a hydrophobic resin layer (covering layer 45) formed on the surface of the stranded wire 44, and the outer shape of the operation line 40 in the cross section is as follows. It has a non-circular convex shape.

Specifically, the outer shape of the operation line 40 shown in FIG. 4A, that is, the outer shape of the coating layer 45 is substantially hexagonal, and there are six blunt peaks 46.
Further, the outer shape of the operation line 40 shown in FIG. 4B is substantially triangular, and there are three blunt apexes 46.

  Since the cross-section of the operation line 40 is not a perfect circle but a non-circular convex shape, the inner wall surface of the sub-lumen 30 and the operation line 40 are in contact with each other only at the top 46, and the contact area becomes minute. . Further, since the operation wire 40 is a stranded wire 44, the inner wall surface of the sub-lumen 30 and the operation wire 40 are not continuously in contact with each other along the longitudinal direction. In other words, the operation line 40 has only one top portion 46 in discrete contact with the inner wall surface of the sub-lumen 30 in the longitudinal direction, and the slidability of the operation line 40 becomes very good.

  Therefore, in the catheter 10 in which the plurality of sublumens 30 are formed in the outer layer 60 as in the present embodiment, the slidability of the operation line 40 is also achieved when the distal end portion 15 is bent by the operation line 40 having a very small diameter. Therefore, the operability of the catheter 10 is excellent. This is because the responsiveness of the bending deformation of the distal end portion 15 to the pulling operation of the operation line 40 is high.

  The thickness of the coating layer (resin layer) 45 is not particularly limited. However, when the entire surface of the stranded wire 44 is covered with the coating layer 45 as shown in FIG. 4A, the thickness is preferably equal to or less than the radius of the fine wire 43. Thereby, the top 46 based on the outer shape of the stranded wire 44 appears on the surface of the operation wire 40.

Returning to FIG. 1, the sheath 16 of this embodiment is formed by laminating an inner layer 21 and an outer layer 60 formed around the inner layer 21.
The inner layer 21 is made of a tubular resin material, and a main lumen 20 is formed on the axis.
The outer layer 60 is made of the same or different resin material as the inner layer 21, and the sub-lumen 30 is formed with a through hole therein.
Around the outer layer 60, a hydrophilic coating layer 64 formed as the outermost layer of the catheter 10 is laminated over a part of the length of the distal end portion 15.

For example, a fluorine-based thermoplastic polymer material can be used for the inner layer 21. More specifically, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), or perfluoroalkoxy fluororesin (PFA) can be used.
By using a fluorine-based resin for the inner layer 21, the delivery property when supplying a contrast medium or a drug solution to the affected area through the main lumen 20 of the catheter 10 is improved.

  A thermoplastic polymer is widely used for the outer layer 60. For example, polyimide (PI), polyamideimide (PAI), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyamide (PA), nylon elastomer, polyurethane (PU), ethylene-vinyl acetate resin (EVA), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polypropylene (PP).

  The coat layer 64 is formed of a hydrophilic resin material such as polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyvinyl pyrrolidone, or is lubricated on the outer surface so that at least the outer surface is hydrophilic.

Further, the catheter 10 of this embodiment includes a blade layer 50 formed by knitting wires 52 around the inner layer 21. The blade layer 50 is included in the outer layer 60.
In the present embodiment, the sub-lumen 30 through which the operation lines 40 are inserted is formed inside the outer layer 60 and outside the blade layer 50.

For the wire 52, a fine wire of polymer fiber such as polyimide (PI), polyamide imide (PAI) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used in addition to a fine metal wire such as stainless steel or nickel titanium alloy.
The cross-sectional shape of the wire 52 is not particularly limited, and may be a round line or a flat line.

  The distal end 15 of the catheter 10 is provided with a ring-shaped marker 66 made of a material that does not transmit radiation such as X-rays. Specifically, a metal material such as platinum can be used for the marker 66. The marker 66 of this embodiment is provided around the main lumen 20 and inside the outer layer 60.

The sub-lumen 30 of this embodiment is provided along the longitudinal direction of the catheter 10 (left-right direction in FIG. 1), and at least the proximal end PE side of the catheter 10 is open.
The distal end portion 41 of the operation line 40 is fixed to the distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10. A mode in which the tip 41 of the operation line 40 is fixed to the distal end 15 is not particularly limited. For example, the tip 41 of the operating line 40 may be fastened to the marker 66, welded to the distal end 15 of the sheath 16, or the marker 66 or the distal end 15 of the sheath 16 with an adhesive. It may be adhered and fixed.

  The sheath 16 of the present embodiment is made of a resin material containing an inorganic filler. In the case of this embodiment, more specifically, the outer layer 60 constituting the main thickness of the sheath 16 contains an inorganic filler.

  As an example of the inorganic filler, silica, talc, calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, and titanium dioxide can be used. By mixing the inorganic filler in the outer layer 60, the smoothness of the inner wall surface of the sublumber 30 is improved. Thereby, the friction reduction at the time of traction operation of the operation line 40 is further sufficiently achieved.

Here, typical dimensions of the catheter 10 of the present embodiment will be described.
The radius of the main lumen 20 can be about 200 to 300 μm, the thickness of the inner layer 21 can be about 10 to 30 μm, the thickness of the outer layer 60 can be about 100 to 150 μm, and the thickness of the blade layer 50 can be 20 to 30 μm.
The radius from the axial center of the catheter 10 to the center of the sublumen 30 is about 300 to 350 μm, and the inner diameter (diameter) of the sublumen 30 is 40 to 100 μm. And the thickness of the operation line 40 shall be 30-60 micrometers.
The outermost diameter (radius) of the catheter 10 is about 350 to 450 μm, that is, the outer diameter is less than 1 mm in diameter. Thereby, the catheter 10 of the present embodiment can be inserted into a blood vessel such as a celiac artery.

<Method for producing catheter>
The outline of the manufacturing method of the catheter 10 of this embodiment will be described below.
FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of the manufacturing apparatus 80 of the sheath 16.
6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the resin material extruded from the die 92 and the operation line 40, and is an enlarged sectional view of a circle VI shown in FIG.

The manufacturing apparatus 80 includes an extruder 82, a sizing apparatus 84, and a take-up machine 86 arranged in series.
The extruder 82 includes a material supply unit 90 that inputs the resin material of the outer layer 60 that constitutes the sheath 16, and a die 92 that extrudes the resin material to make it thin.
The sizing device 84 is a device that cools the sheath 16 extruded from the extruder 82 and adjusts the sheath 16 to a predetermined diameter, and a water tank can be used as an example.
The take-up machine 86 is composed of rollers 88 that run in opposition to each other, and is a device that takes out the tip of the sheath 16 that is pushed out of the extruder 82 and cooled by the sizing device 84 at a predetermined take-up speed.

In the step of forming the sheath 16 shown in FIG. 6, the outer layer 60 is formed by extruding the core wire 22 and the operation wire 40 together with the resin material in a state of being separated from each other.
As a result, the core wire 22 and the operation wire 40 penetrate through the outer layer 60 made of a resin material in the longitudinal direction.

The core wire 22 is a middle core (mandrel) formed in a cylindrical shape, and is a member that forms the main lumen 20 of the catheter 10 by being pulled out after the sheath 16 is formed.
The wire diameter of the core wire 22 corresponds to the inner diameter of the main lumen 20.

  Although the material of the core wire 22 is not specifically limited, As an example, copper or a copper alloy, alloy steels, such as carbon steel and SUS, nickel, or a nickel alloy can be mentioned.

  The surface of the core wire 22 may optionally be subjected to a release treatment. The mold release treatment may be performed by optical or chemical surface treatment in addition to the application of a release agent such as fluorine or silicon.

  A tubular inner layer 21 is deposited around the core wire 22, and a blade layer 50 formed by braiding wires 52 (see FIG. 1) is formed in a net shape on the outer periphery thereof.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the die 92, a main hole 93 for forming the main lumen 20 through the core wire 22, a sub hole 94 for forming the sub-lumen 30, and a nozzle portion for extruding the resin material 96 is formed.
The main hole 93 and the sub hole 94 are formed over a predetermined length in the extrusion direction of the die 92 (left side of the figure). Three sub-holes 94 are formed around the main hole 93 at intervals of 120 degrees (only one is shown in the figure).

  Then, the resin material is introduced into the supply hole 95 in a state where the core wire 22 around which the blade layer 50 and the inner layer 21 are attached is inserted into the main hole 93 and the operation line 40 is inserted into the sub hole 94. As a result, the outer layer 60 made of a resin material is coated on the surface of the blade layer 50.

  By adjusting the take-up speed by the take-up machine 86, the cooling temperature in the sizing device 84, and the distance between the die 92 and the sizing device 84, the sheath 16 pushed out from the nozzle portion 96 is moved to the distal end side (left side in FIG. 6). ) To reduce the wire to a predetermined diameter.

In the molding process of the sheath 16, the outer layer 60 is molded by extruding the resin material while blowing the gas material around the radial direction of the operation line 40.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, an air flow F having a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure is blown into the sub-hole 94. Thereby, it is prevented that the outer layer 60 and the operation line 40 are joined inside the sheath 16 to be molded. As the gaseous material, in addition to air, an inert gas such as nitrogen may be used.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications and improvements as long as the object of the present invention is achieved.

<Modification>
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the operation line 40 according to a modification of the present embodiment.
The operation line 40 according to the present modification is different from the operation line 40 in FIG. 4A in that a hydrophobic coating layer 45 is formed on a part of the surface of the stranded wire 44.
The covering layer 45 is formed on the region covering the top 46 of the stranded wire 44.
More specifically, the covering layer 45 of this modification covers a predetermined width region including the intersection of the circumscribed circle of the stranded wire 44 and the stranded wire 44 in the cross section of the operation line 40.

  That is, in the present invention, the surface of the stranded wire 44 being hydrophobized means that the surface of the top portion 46 that is in contact with the inner wall surface of the sublumber 30 is hydrophobized.

  Also in the operation line 40 of this modified example, the inner wall surface of the sub-lumen 30 (see FIG. 1) and the operation line 40 are in local contact only by the hydrophobic coating layer 45. Therefore, good slidability can be obtained similarly to the operation line 40 according to the above embodiment.

  In the said embodiment, although the core wire 22 and the operation wire 40 were extruded together with the resin material in the formation process of the outer layer 60, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a resin material may be applied and formed on the core wire 22 and the operation wire 40 held by the jig, or a resin material previously formed in a tape (ribbon) shape is wound around the core wire 22 and the operation wire 40. The outer layer 60 may be formed.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the aspect which forms the sublumen 30 in the exterior of the blade layer 50 was illustrated, this invention is not limited to this. The sub-lumen 30 may be formed inside the inner layer 21 and the blade layer 50 may be provided on the outer periphery thereof.

Further, the flexibility of the catheter 10 may be increased in a plurality of steps or continuously from the proximal end PE side to the distal end DE side. In other words, the bending rigidity of the catheter 10 may be increased on the proximal end PE side.
Thereby, it is possible to sufficiently obtain the bending strength of the catheter 10 at the proximal end portion 17 to which the bending moment is most loaded during the operation while sufficiently securing the flexibility at the distal end portion 15 of the catheter 10.

  Further, in the catheter 10 of the present embodiment, the three operation lines 40 are slidably inserted into the sub-lumen 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. The operation line 40 may be one, two, or four or more. Further, the number of sub-lumens 30 may be the same as or different from the number of operation lines 40. That is, a plurality of operation lines 40 may be inserted into the sub-lumen 30, or the sub-lumen 30 in which the operation lines 40 are not inserted may be provided in the sheath 16.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Catheter 15 Distal end part 16 Sheath 17 Proximal end part 20 Main lumen 21 Inner layer 22 Core wire 30 Sublumen 40 Operation line 41 Tip part 42 Base end part 43 Fine wire 44 Strand wire 45 Cover layer 46 Top part 50 Blade layer 52 Wire 60 Outer layer 64 Coat layer 66 Marker 70 Operation unit 80 Manufacturing device 82 Extruder 84 Sizing device 86 Picker 88 Roller 90 Material supply unit 92 Die 93 Main hole 94 Sub-hole 95 Supply hole 96 Nozzle part DE Distal end (tip)
PE Proximal end (base end)
F Airflow

Claims (4)

A tubular body comprising a main lumen and a sub-lumen having a smaller diameter than the main lumen;
An operation line that is slidably inserted into the sub-lumen and has a tip fixed to a distal end of the tubular body,
A catheter that bends the distal end of the tubular body by pulling the proximal end of the manipulation line;
The catheter is characterized in that the operation line is formed by hydrophobizing the surface of a stranded wire obtained by twisting a plurality of fine wires. A hydrophobic resin layer is formed on the surface of the stranded wire,
The catheter according to claim 1, wherein an outer shape of the operation line in a cross section is a non-circular convex shape.   The catheter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tubular body is made of a resin material containing an inorganic filler.   The catheter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising a plurality of the sublumens through which the operation lines are slidably inserted.

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