CATHETER

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a catheter which does not narrow the crosssection of an inflation lumen and can effectively prevent a kink caused by concn. of sudden bendings from being generated. SOLUTION: This expansion catheter 1 is provided with a tube-like base shaft 15 with a relatively high rigidity, a tube-like apex shaft 13 with a lower rigidity than that of the base shaft 15, a tube-like intermediate part 14 positioned between them, a hub 16 fitted in the neighborhood of the base end of the base shaft 15, a balloon 12 fitted so as to be fluid-communicated with at the apex part of the apex shaft 13, and an inner pipe shaft 11 through which a guide wire 2 is inserted are provided. Further, a reinforcing material 142 consisting of a braid body in which a linear body is knitted is embedded into the intermediate part 14.