Guidewire with superelastic core

• US 20060173382A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schreiner, John
• Application Number:
  US11/047,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20060173382A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09091 where a sheath surrounds the coil at the distal part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09133 having specific material compositions or coatings; Materials with specific mechanical behaviours, e.g. stiffness, strength to transmit torque
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A medical guidewire including a tapered corewire formed from a superelastic material and a hypotube extending around the outer surface over a portion of the corewire resulting in improved torque characteristics for the guidewire.

Claims

1. An elongated flexible guidewire comprising:

a flexible corewire formed from a superelastic material and having a first constant diameter portion that tapers distally along a first tapered portion to a second lesser constant diameter portion shorter than said first diameter portion and that again tapers distally along a second tapered portion to a flattened distal portion of said corewire, said first constant diameter portion having a proximal section having a reduced diameter section;

a hypotube extending over said reduced diameter section of said first constant diameter portion and being bonded to said reduced diameter section;

a flexible coil surrounding the corewire and attached to the corewire along a length of the second lesser constant diameter portion of the corewire and attached to a distal end of the flattened distal portion of the corewire; and

,

a polymer coating covering an outer surface of said guidewire extending over a major portion of the guidewire.

2. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 1, wherein the coil is attached to the distal end of the flattened distal portion of the corewire with a brazing material which forms a rounded distal tip of the guidewire.

3. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 2, wherein an outer diameter of said hypotube is approximately equal to a diameter of the first constant diameter portion.

4. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 3, wherein said hypotube is formed of stainless steel.

5. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 4, wherein said hypotube is bonded to said reduced diameter section with an adhesive material.

6. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 5, wherein said adhesive material is an epoxy.

7. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 3, wherein said hypotube extends from the proximal section of the guidewire for at least one-half the length of the guidewire.

8. An elongated flexible guidewire comprising:

a flexible corewire formed from a superelastic material and having a first constant diameter portion that tapers distally along a first tapered portion, a proximal section of said first constant diameter portion having a reduced diameter section from that of said first diameter portion;

a hypotube extending over said proximal section of said first constant diameter portion and being bonded to said proximal section;

a flexible coil surrounding a portion of the corewire and attached to a distal tip of said first tapered portion; and

,

a polymer coating covering an outer surface of said guidewire extending over a major portion of the guidewire.

9. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 8, wherein said hypotube is formed of stainless steel.

10. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 9, wherein said hypotube is bonded to said reduced diameter section with an adhesive material.

11. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 10, wherein said adhesive material is an epoxy.

12. An elongated flexible guidewire as defined in claim 8, wherein said hypotube extends from the proximal section of the guidewire for at least one-half the length of the guidewire.