ELONGATED INTRACORPORAL MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20070123805A1
• Filed: 01/31/2007
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: REYNOLDS, BRIAN, ESKURI, ALAN, JOHNSON, DAVE, MILLER, JEFFREY, VOELLER, VIRGIL, SHIREMAN, BRICE
• Application Number:
  US11/669,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20070123805A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

Alternative designs, materials and manufacturing methods for guidewires. Some embodiments pertain to a composite guidewire having proximal and distal section, and a connector adapted and configured for permanently joining the proximal section to the distal section. In some embodiments, at least one of the sections is made of a linear-elastic nickel-titanium alloy. Several alternative guidewire tip constructions and/or designs including methods and techniques of construction are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A guidewire comprising:

an elongate core having a proximal section and a distal section, wherein the distal section comprises a linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy and a super elastic nickel-titanium alloy.

2. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the proximal section comprises a metallic material that is different from a nickel-titanium alloy.

3. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the proximal section comprises stainless steel.

4. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the proximal section and the distal section are joined by a connector.

5. The guidewire of claim 4, wherein the connector includes a tubular member.

6. The guidewire of claim 5, wherein the connector includes a plurality of slots formed therein.

7. The guidewire of claim 4, wherein the connector includes a metal alloy having a Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation of N06625.

8. The guidewire of claim 1, further including a coil member attached to the distal section of the core, the coil member extending distally beyond the core.

9. The guidewire of claim 8, wherein the coil member includes a distal end, and further including an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the coil member.

10. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the distal section includes a distal portion, and further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal portion of the core.

11. The guidewire of claim 9, wherein the distal section includes a distal portion, and further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal portion of the core, the shaping ribbon being disposed inside the coil member and extending distally and being attached to the atraumatic tip.

12. A guidewire comprising:

a distal core section comprising a linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy and a super elastic nickel-titanium alloy;

a proximal core section comprising a metallic material different from a nickel titanium alloy; and

a connector joining the proximal core section to the distal core section.

13. The guidewire of claim 12, wherein the proximal section comprises stainless steel.

14. The guidewire of claim 12, wherein the distal core section includes a distal end, and the guidewire further includes an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the distal core section.

15. The guidewire of claim 14, further including a coil member attached to the distal core section and to the atraumatic tip.

16. The guidewire of claim 12, wherein the distal core section includes a distal end, and further including a coil member attached to the distal core section and extending distally beyond the distal end of the distal core section, the coil member including a distal end, and further including an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the coil member.

17. The guidewire of claim 16, further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal section of the core and extending within the coil member, and attached to the atraumatic tip.

18. The guidewire of claim 17, wherein the shaping ribbon comprises stainless steel.

19. The guidewire of claim 12, wherein the connector includes a tubular member.

20. A guidewire comprising:

a core member having a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section including a nickel-titanium alloy;

wherein the nickel-titanium alloy includes a combination of super elastic nickel-titanium alloy and linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy;

wherein the distal section includes a proximal portion and a distal portion; and

wherein at least the proximal portion includes the linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.

21. A guidewire comprising a core having proximal and distal sections comprising different materials:

the proximal portion including a reduced diameter distal portion;

the distal section including a reduced diameter proximal portion;

a hollow coupler connecting the reduced diameter portion of the proximal section to the reduced-diameter portion of the distal section, wherein the proximal section comprises a non-superelastic alloy; and

the distal section includes a combination of super elastic nickel-titanium alloy and linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.

22. The guidewire of claim 21, wherein the distal portion includes a proximal section and a distal section, and wherein at least the proximal section includes the linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.