PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a catheter capable of enhancing rigidity of a curve part on a target part, after delivery in a blood vessel.SOLUTION: A catheter 1 of the invention comprises: a long shaft part 2 comprising an outer peripheral surface, an inner peripheral surface forming a lumen, and a thick wall part 2b formed between the outer and inner peripheral surfaces. A curve part 24 is formed in at least a part of the shaft part 2 in an axial direction, and the thick wall part 2b of the shaft part 2 comprises: a lumen 15 into which a fluid can flow, and which extends along the axial direction of the shaft part 2 and an expansion part 16 which can expand by flowing of the fluid, and which is continuous to the lumen 15. The expansion part 16 is provided in the thick wall part 24b of the curve part 24, and the curve part 24 has higher rigidity when the expansion part 16 expands, relative to before the expansion part 16 expands.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2COPYRIGHT: (C)2017,JPO&INPIT【課題】血管内を送達した後、目的部位で湾曲部の剛性を高めることができるカテーテルを提供することを課題とする。【解決手段】 本発明に係るカテーテル1は、外周面と、内腔を形成する内周面と、前記外周面と前記内周面との間に形成される肉厚部2bを有する長尺のシャフト部2を備え、シャフト部2の軸方向の少なくても一部には、湾曲部24が形成され、シャフト部2の肉厚部2bには、シャフト部2の軸方向に沿って延び流体が流入可能なルーメン15と、ルーメン15に連続し流体の流入により拡張可能な拡張部16とが形成され、拡張部16は、湾曲部24の肉厚部24b内に設けられ、湾曲部24は、拡張部16が拡張した際、拡張部16を拡張する前と比較して剛性が高いことを特徴とする。【選択図】図2
