Balloons/Balloon Catheters – Zeus components can provide solutions for balloon and stent protectors, customized and multi-lumen tubing, and liners for your specialized microcatheter needs.

Diagnostic – When visualization is of primary importance, such as in angiography, our catheter components are chemically unreactive not only with the body, but also with dyes commonly used for contrast material.

Dilation – Catheter procedures focused on widening narrow biological passages have a variety of roles in health care. Whether for stent placement, drug delivery, or stroke treatment, Zeus catheter components are capable of meeting the highly defined functional needs of these applications.

Imaging – From angiograms to intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to optical coherence tomography (OCT), Zeus catheter componentry helps improve the ability of imaging catheters to navigate tortuous anatomical spaces for proper image acquisition and characterization of plaque. Our drawn fiber and other monofilaments – including our liquid crystal polymer (LCP) –  are an excellent replacement for metals where certain applications preclude these materials, such as MRI.

Lead Delivery – Zeus products support the critical demands of lead placement into target tissues. Our catheter componentry can be utilized to provide varying degrees of flexibility and strength for lead placement in the most challenging anatomical locations.

Microcatheters – With improving technologies to create ever-smaller devices, physicians likewise need catheter componentry capable of performing these catheterization procedures. Zeus has focused our efforts to create thinner, stronger, and more flexible PTFE liners and other catheter components to deliver advanced lifesaving treatments.

Neurostimulation – Whether for direct stimulation of nerves or to relieve pain, these applications have been greatly improved through the use of catheters to place neurostimulation and modulator devices more accurately. Zeus catheter components are optimized for these device delivery applications. Extensive customization is also available, giving you more control over key parameters such as pushability, strength, kink resistance, torquability, and lubricity.

Catheter Braiding – When metals cannot be used in certain catheterization procedures, Zeus offers drawn fibers and monofilaments available in PEEK and LCP as non-metallic and flexible alternatives to stainless steel braiding. These materials are MRI-compatible and available in flat and rounded profiles.

Catheter Liners – Typically made of PTFE that has been chemically etched to allow for bonding, these inner liners of catheters provide the utmost in lubricity, electrical performance, chemical resistance, and are sterilizable via multiple methods.

Customized Tubing – We offer a wide range of fluoropolymers and specialized plastics with a history of success in medical device applications. Depending on your needs, we can provide custom etching, flaring, tipping, and prototype sampling with quick turnaround and complete technical support.

Fusing Sleeves – Heat shrinkable fluoropolymer tubing provides an excellent way to reflow the underlying nylon or Pebax® jacketing material during catheter construction. We offer FEP heat shrink tubing and FluoroPEELZ™ peelable heat shrink as fusing sleeves, both of which can withstand high temperatures and contribute to a smooth surface finish for the completed device.

Jacketing – Catheter jackets are designed to provide additional structural support and flexibility through different durometers along the length of the catheter. Zeus offers a variety of nylon and Pebax® jacketing to meet these catheter construction needs.

Multi-lumen Tubing – This tubing creates multiple passages through which several simultaneous treatments or instruments can be directed toward the treatment site. Available in a variety of resins, these products are made with tight tolerances, unsurpassed capabilities, and superior quality standards.

Processing / Support Mandrels – A building block for catheter construction, this polymer core provides the central arbor around which the catheter is made and supports the desired ID. After construction, the mandrel is removed to produce the final ID. Our catheter components are highly lubricious and are ideal for use as mandrels with easy removal; these are available in PEEK and PTFE.

Biomaterials – The emergence of biomaterials, substances or materials that can exist in the body, has become a driving force in medical innovation. Bioabsorbables are especially suitable for medical applications and provide an alternative to traditional polymers and metal components because they can be absorbed by the body. Recognizing this industry need, Zeus has expanded our capabilities in multiple areas to develop the most advanced biomaterials in the industry.

ETFE – A copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene, ETFE tubing affords excellent resistance to impact, abrasion, and stress cracking. ETFE possesses superior toughness, stiffness, and durability, all while being chemically inert. The material can be extruded in multiple forms, including flexible convoluted tubing.

FEP – Fluorinated ethylene propylene, or FEP, is a melt-processable fluoropolymer that allows for long, continuous lengths and has several distinct advantages over PTFE. FEP is a preferred choice when optical clarity is vital while still maintaining flexibility. In heat shrinkable form, FEP has a lower recovery temperature than PTFE, and FEP can be used to reflow softer underlying materials such as Pebax® for catheter jackets. This chemically inert material has low gas permeability and possesses an excellent UV transmission rating and dielectric strength. FEP is also gamma, ETO, e-beam, and autoclave sterilizable.

LCP – Liquid crystal polymers, or LCPs, are thermoplastic resins that exhibit unique properties. These materials have a host of desirable traits, including exceptional mechanical strength, heat tolerance for autoclaving, and chemical inertness. Through Zeus’ proprietary processing, we have developed an LCP monofilament fiber for use as catheter braiding. This material possesses excellent tensile strength and surpasses many similar monofilaments, such as nylon, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), and even polyether ether ketone (PEEK) in terms of stiffness. Most importantly, however, LCP monofilament used as catheter braiding results in a device that is fully compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures.

Nylon – In addition to Pebax®, Zeus extrudes nylon tubing and can assist in the selection of the specific grade of nylon best suited for your jacketing or surface application. Our engineered nylon is available in a wide range of grades, including Nylon 6/6 (Zytel® 42A and ST801), Nylon 11 (Rilsan® B), Nylon 12 (Grilamid® L25, Rilsan® A, Vestamid® L2140, Grilamid® TR55 and TR55LX), and others.

Pebax® – This material (also known as PEBA, or polyether block amide) is often used as a jacketing material for catheters, providing structural support and strength while also allowing catheters to remain flexible. Pebax® is a versatile polymer whose properties can be easily altered by varying its monomeric ratios and block types, thus imparting a wide range of mechanical properties such as flexibility. This material possesses high elastic memory and is stronger than nylon 11. Pebax® is available in Shore D hardness ranges from 35 to 72.

PEEK – Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a high-performance polymer that has excellent heat endurance and one of the highest strength-to-weight ratios of any thermoplastic. PEEK products are used in a variety of medical applications due to their columnar stiffness and torsional strength in very thin walls. PEEK tubing can be sourced with ID’s as small as 0.002″ (0.051 mm) and nominal wall thicknesses as low as 0.0015″ (0.0381 mm). PEEK drawn fiber is an alternative option for braiding in catheters where metal may not be preferable. PEEK is lightweight and is able to withstand operating temperatures of 500 ºF (260 ºC). PEEK tolerates high burst pressures and possesses exceptional torsion stability. PEEK is also thermoformable and resistant to gamma radiation, wear, and impact.

PFA – Perfluoroalkoxy, or PFA, possesses excellent lubricity, clarity, and chemical resistance, making it highly versatile; it can be manufactured in a variety of extruded products, including custom sizes, profiles, and multi-lumens. PFA is highly flexible, chemically resistant to all common solvents, possesses low gas permeability, and has ultra-low levels of ionic extractables. PFA retains its mechanical strength even at temperatures up to 500 °F (260 °C). PFA is highly flame-resistant and can tolerate ETO, e-beam, and autoclave sterilizations, making it well-suited to medical applications.

PTFE – Polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE, is highly lubricious and is the preferred material in many applications in the medical field. This material has the lowest coefficient of friction of any polymer and easily tolerates ETO and autoclave sterilizations. PTFE has a working temperature up to 500 °F (260 °C) and can be produced with precision tolerances. This diverse polymer is available in a variety of forms, including tubing, special profiles, heat shrink, monofilaments, and multi-lumens.