Medical guidewire
First Claim
1. A medical guidewire having an elongated body that has a degree of flexibility and a distal tip region of relatively greater flexibility, said guidewire comprisinga core having a body portion of a first diameter, a distal portion of a relatively smaller diameter, and a generally flat distal end portion, said end portion disposed in said tip region and spaced proximally from a round tip element that defines a distal end of said guidewire,a first coil joined to the body portion of said core and extending along said core to a termination point in said distal tip region, proximal of the end portion of the core,a relatively more flexible second coil has a proximal end joined to said first coil and has a distal end joined to the round tip element,a safety wire secured to said core, said safety wire having a generally flat distal end portion within said second coil, joined to said round tip element, anda transition wire secured to said core, said transition wire having a generally flat distal end portion disposed to terminate within said second coil intermediate of the distal end portions of said core and of said safety wire.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A medical guidewire has an elongated body that has a degree of flexibility and a distal tip region of relatively greater flexibility. The guidewire consists of a core having a body of first diameter, a distal portion of a relatively smaller diameter, and a generally flat distal end. The end is disposed in the tip region and is spaced proximally from a round tip element that defines the distal end of the guidewire. A first coil is joined to the core body and extends along the core to a termination point in the distal tip region, proximal of the end of the core. A relatively more flexible second coil is joined at its proximal end to the first coil and joined at its distal end to the round tip element. A safety wire is secured to the core and has a generally flat distal end within the second coil, joined to the round tip. A transition wire is secured to the core and has a generally flat distal end that terminates within the second coil intermediate of the distal ends of the core and safety wire. In this or other medical guidewires, the first and second coils are joined in sequence, the second coil overlapping the first coil, both having essentially the same outer diameter. The above resulting in a joint of substantially uninterrupted flexibility.
272 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A medical guidewire having an elongated body that has a degree of flexibility and a distal tip region of relatively greater flexibility, said guidewire comprising
a core having a body portion of a first diameter, a distal portion of a relatively smaller diameter, and a generally flat distal end portion, said end portion disposed in said tip region and spaced proximally from a round tip element that defines a distal end of said guidewire, a first coil joined to the body portion of said core and extending along said core to a termination point in said distal tip region, proximal of the end portion of the core, a relatively more flexible second coil has a proximal end joined to said first coil and has a distal end joined to the round tip element, a safety wire secured to said core, said safety wire having a generally flat distal end portion within said second coil, joined to said round tip element, and a transition wire secured to said core, said transition wire having a generally flat distal end portion disposed to terminate within said second coil intermediate of the distal end portions of said core and of said safety wire.
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14. A medical guidewire comprising, in sequence, a first coil and a relatively more flexible second coil,
said first coil in a first region preceding said second coil having a first outer diameter and in a second region distal said first region said first coil having a second, relatively smaller outer diameter, and said second coil, in a proximal region adjacent said first coil, having an outer diameter substantially equal to the first outer diameter of said first coil and an inner diameter substantially equal to the second outer diameter of said first coil, and the proximal region of said second coil is disposed about the second, smaller diameter region of said first coil.
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17. A medical guidewire comprising, in sequence, a first coil and a relatively more flexible second coil,
said first coil being formed of round wire, said first coil in a first region preceding said second coil having a substantially uniform first outer diameter and in a second region distal said first region said first coil having a second, relatively smaller, substantially uniform outer diameter formed by removal of coil wire material from the exterior of said coil, said first region lying immediately adjacent said second region, the difference between said first outer diameter and said second outer diameter being less than or equal to one-half the diameter of said round wire, and said second coil, in a proximal region adjacent said first coil, having an outer diameter substantially equal to the first outer diameter of said first coil and an inner diameter substantially equal to the second outer diameter of said first coil, and the proximal region of said second coil being disposed about the second, smaller diameter region of said first coil.
Specification