Appeal No. 1999-0610 Page 12
Application No. 08/601,186
of friction approximating that of silicone, for example, or
lower.8
In rejecting claims 49 through 60 under 35 U.S.C. § 103,
the examiner relies upon the combined teachings of Castillo
and Eury. The examiner and appellants agree that Castillo
discloses a catheter comprising a relatively flexible distal
segment (tip 14), a relatively stiff proximal segment
(catheter body 15), carrying a reinforcing braid (column 3,
lines 20-22) and a transition zone (13) which is free of the
reinforcing braid, and thus more flexible than the proximal
segment, but less flexible than the distal segment (column 3,
lines 49-53). The examiner concedes, however, that Castillo
does not disclose a coating on the distal segment of the
catheter.
Eury discloses an antithrombogenic surface coating for
use on biomedical devices, such as catheters, which come into
contact with a patient's blood flow, to present a blood
contacting surface which is as hemocompatible as possible so
8This accords with the use of the term "lubricious" in the biomedical
field as exemplified by Sahatjian (column 1, lines 49 to 52, and column 2,
lines 32 to 35) and Whitbourne (column 1, lines 15 to 19).
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