Catheters and methods of making catheters are provided which include a connector with a guide wire channel and an inflation channel, a shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end and having a guide wire lumen and an inflation lumen, the shaft being connected, at its proximal end, to the connector so that said guidewire lumen and inflation lumen are mechanically and fluidly connected with said guide wire channel and inflation channel respectively. The connection is realized in correspondence to a kink portion. Such catheters may include a protective sheath placed around an external wall of the shaft extending from a first sheath end, axially placed at a first distance from the proximal end of the shaft so as to allow direct contact and fixation between the external wall of the shaft and the internal wall of the kink portion, to a second sheath end.
