GUIDEWIRE HAVING LINEAR CHANGE IN STIFFNESS

• US 20090062773A1
• Filed: 03/12/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Cornish, Wayne E., Jacobs, James, Richardson, Mark T., Jalisi, Marc M., Schreiner, John, Palmer, Olin J., Stalker, Kent C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,972,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6851 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

The invention is directed to a guidewire having a distal section with multiple distally tapered core segments with at least two contiguous distally tapering core segments in which the most distal tapered core segment preferably has a greater degree of taper than the proximally contiguous tapered core segment. The invention is also directed to an elongated intracorporeal device, preferably a guidewire or section thereof, that has a core member or the like with a plurality of contiguous tapered segments having taper angles that are configured to produce a linear change in stiffness over a longitudinal section of the device. The device may also have a core section with a continuously changing taper angle to produce a curvilinear profile that preferably is configured to produce a linear change in stiffness of the core over a longitudinal section of the device.

Claims

1-63. -63. (canceled)

64. An intracorporeal guidewire, comprising:

an elongated member having a cylindrical shape including means for causing a substantially linear change in bending stiffness over a longitudinal length of the elongated member.

65. The guidewire of claim 64, wherein the length of the elongated member includes a continuously changing taper angles producing a curvilinear profile that creates the substantially linear change in bending stiffness over the length.

66. The guidewire of claim 64, wherein the elongated member includes a plurality of sequentially tapered segments that produce the substantially linear change in bending stiffness over the length of the member.

67. The guidewire of claim 66, wherein each tapered segment has a substantially constant taper angle.

68. The guidewire of claim 66, wherein the elongated core member includes at least 3 to about 100 tapered segments.

69. The guidewire of claim 64, wherein the elongated core member includes a material with changing hardness in a longitudinal direction configured such that the change in hardness produces a substantially linear change in bending stiffness along the length of the core member.

70. An intracorporeal guidewire, comprising:

an elongated solid core member having a cylindrical shape with at least one longitudinal section having a diameter defined substantially by the formula;

71. A guidewire as defined in claim 70, wherein the core member includes a metal selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, NiTi alloys, MP35N, L605, cobalt chromium alloys, and combinations thereof.

72. A guidewire as defined in claim 70, wherein the core member includes a proximal core section, the proximal core section being coated with a lubricious coating.

73. A guidewire as defined in claim 70, wherein the core member includes a distal core section, the distal core section being coated with a lubricious coating.

74. An intracorporeal guidewire, comprising:

an elongate core member having a cylindrical shape with at least one longitudinal section having a moment of inertia defined substantially by the formula;

75. A guidewire as defined in claim 74, wherein the core member includes a distal core section, and a flexible body disposed about and secured to the distal core section.

76. A guidewire as defined in claim 74, wherein the guidewire includes at least 3 to about 100 tapered segments.

77. A guidewire as defined in claim 74, wherein the guidewire includes at least 5 to about 20 tapered segments.