Medical devices such as catheters may be subject to a number of often conflicting performance requirements such as flexibility and strength. Catheters such as stent delivery catheters are expected to exhibit flexibility so that a patient's vasculature can be navigated sufficiently to access a treatment site. Stent delivery catheters, particularly catheters for delivering self-expanding stents, are also expected to exhibit tensile and/or compressive strength.
A need remains, therefore, for stent delivery catheters adapted to provide both flexibility and strength.