COREWIRE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FOR MEDICAL DEVICES

• US 20090227900A1
• Filed: 03/10/2008
• Published: 09/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Acclarent Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Muni, Ketan, Kim, Isaac
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,432 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/24 for use in the oral cavity, larynx, bronchial passages or nose for medical inspection of cavities or tubes in the body A61B1/00; Tongue scrapers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2029/025 characterised by the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 29/02 Dilators made of swellable material balloon catheters for angioplasty A61M25/104
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming

Abstract

A guidewire for use in ear, nose and throat procedures may include an elongate core wire having a proximal region and a distal region. The distal region of the core wire may include a flattened portion adapted to provide preferential flexure along at least one axis of the wire. The distal region of the core wire may include a tip portion distal of the flattened portion, where at least one cross-sectional dimension of the tip portion is greater than at least one cross-sectional dimension of the flattened portion. The guidewire may include an outer coil disposed around at least a portion of the elongate core wire. The guidewire may also include an atraumatic tip coupled to the core wire or the outer coil.

Claims

1. A core wire for a device useable in ear, nose and throat procedures, the core wire comprising:

a proximal portion having a first cross-sectional area;

a distal tip having a second cross-sectional area; and

a transitional portion between the proximal portion and the distal tip, the transitional portion having a third cross-sectional area, wherein the second cross-sectional area is greater than the third cross-sectional area.

2. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion of the core wire is tapered from a fourth cross-sectional at a proximal end of the wire to the first cross-sectional area at a distal end of the proximal portion.

3. The core wire of claim 2, wherein the second cross-sectional area is greater than the first cross-sectional area.

4. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the transitional portion has a rectangular cross-sectional profile.

5. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the transitional portion has an elliptical cross-sectional profile.

6. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the transitional region is more flexible along one axis of flexion than along another axis of flexion.

7. The core wire of claim 1, wherein a total length of the core wire is approximately 80 cm, wherein a length of the transitional portion is between approximately 1.0 cm and approximately 1.2 cm, and wherein a diameter of the distal tip is approximately twice a smallest diameter of the transitional portion.

8. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the distal tip further comprises an atraumatic tip.

9. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the core wire comprises nickel titanium alloy.

10. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the proximal portion comprises a support region having a cross-sectional diameter greater than the second cross-sectional diameter and adapted to provide support for a dilating member.

11. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the core wire further includes a bend located in or adjacent the transitional portion.

12. The core wire of claim 1, wherein the bend has an angle of between about 15 degrees and about 30 degrees.

13. A guidewire for use in ear, nose and throat procedures, the guidewire comprising:

an elongate core wire having a proximal region and a distal region, the distal region of the core wire having;

a flattened portion adapted to provide preferential flexure along at least one axis of the wire, and

a tip portion distal of the flattened portion, wherein at least one cross-sectional dimension of the tip portion is greater than at least one cross-sectional dimension of the flattened portion;

an outer coil disposed around at least a portion of the elongate core wire; and

an atraumatic tip coupled to the core wire or the outer coil.

14. The guidewire of claim 13, wherein a cross-sectional diameter of the tip is larger than a smallest cross-sectional diameter of the proximal portion.

15. The guidewire of claim 13, wherein the core wire is formed from a nickel titanium alloy.

16. The guidewire of claim 13, wherein the outer coil is formed from a steel alloy.

17. The guidewire of claim 13, further comprising a coating disposed over the outer coil.

18. The guidewire of claim 13, wherein an outer diameter of the guidewire, measured at a portion about which the outer coil is disposed, is between about 0.030″

and about 0.040″

.

19. The guidewire of claim 13, wherein the atraumatic tip is formed from solder.

20. The guidewire of claim 13, further comprising at least one radiopaque coil coupled to the wire or the coil.

21. The guidewire of claim 13, further comprising a coating disposed on at least a portion of the wire or the coil.

22. The guidewire of claim 13, further comprising a depth marker on the outer coil.

23. A method of making a core wire for use in ear, nose and throat procedures, the method comprising:

fabricating an elongate wire having a proximal section and a distal section;

configuring a portion of the distal section to have preferential flexibility along at least one axis of the portion; and

configuring a distal tip portion having at least one cross sectional dimension greater than at least one cross sectional dimension of the preferentially flexible portion.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the configuration of the preferentially flexible portion is flattened.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the core wire is fabricated from a nickel titanium alloy.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising grinding at least the proximal section of the wire to form a taper.

27. A method of making a guidewire for use in ear, nose and throat procedures, the method comprising:

fabricating an elongate core wire having a proximal section and a distal section;

configuring a portion of the distal section to have preferential flexibility along at least one axis of the portion;

configuring a distal tip portion having at least one cross sectional dimension greater than at least one cross sectional dimension of the preferentially flexible portion; and

disposing an outer coil around at least part of a length of the core wire.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein configuring the preferentially flexible portion comprises flattening the wire.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising coupling an atraumatic tip with at least one of the core wire and the outer coil.