Junkosha used MD&M Midwest in Minneapolis to introduce a new catheter liner category it calls Wrapped Liner. The company describes the category as a different construction approach based on its experience with fluoropolymer technologies.
Instead of extruding a complete tube, the process wraps PTFE film around a mandrel to build the liner wall. Junkosha says its proprietary tape engineering and wrapping technology are intended to produce a thin, uniform wall with high tensile strength and flexibility. That combination, according to the company, could give catheter designers and manufacturers more freedom to choose finer braid or coil wire, or to use the freed space for other parts of the device.
Steve Maxson, founder of Maxson InSight Services, said in the announcement that “profile is king” in catheter engineering, but that low profile involves more than wall thickness. He said a catheter still must resist kinking and ovalization while retaining the flexibility required by its application. Maxson also noted that extruded and film-cast liners are already available with very thin walls, making the balance between thinness and strength the more important design question.
Junkosha is presenting that balance as the basis for further catheter development, particularly in how reinforcement is configured. The company says Wrapped Liner is intended as a scalable platform for a portfolio of liner solutions that can be adapted to changing catheter requirements.
Kevin LaDow, chief sales officer of Junkosha USA, said current liners are typically dip-coated PTFE built on a mandrel or extruded PTFE supplied as cut-to-length tubing. He said the company sees a need for a differently manufactured liner category as the industry moves toward 2027, which it says could particularly benefit small-format catheter OEMs. Junkosha is positioning the platform to support next-generation devices designed to enhance flexibility and reach a broader range of anatomies.