| abstract |
A vascular dilatation instrument 1 includes an outer tube 2, an inner tube 5 extending through the outer tube 2, and an inflatable member 3 having one end attached to the inner tube 5 and another end attached to the outer tube 2. The outer tube 2 includes a superelastic or pseudoelastic metal tube 2b and a synthetic resin tube 2a covering the metal tube, the metal tube 2b having a distal zone provided with a slit or perforations 2e so that the distal zone is more flexible and deformable than the remainder of the metal tube. Also provided is a catheter 100 comprising a main body section which includes a superelastic metal tube 101 and a synthetic resin layer 104 covering the metal tube, the metal tube 101 having a distal zone provided with a slit or perforations 106 so that the distal zone is more flexible and deformable than the remainder of the metal tube. |