Catheter guidewire fabrication method

• US 5,001,825 A
• Filed: 11/03/1988
• Issued: 03/26/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Corporation (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Halpern, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gorski, Joseph M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hughes, S. Thomas
• Application Number:
  US07/266,772
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 29/456, 29/436, 29/DIG. 11, 128/772, 604/282, 72/284, 72/343, 72/377, 72/276, 72/286
• US Class Current: 29/456
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 1/00 Manufacture of metal sheets, metal wire, metal rods, metal tubes by drawing
• CPC Class Codes: B21C 37/045 Manufacture of wire or bars with particular section or properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49881 of separate helix [e.g., screw thread]

Abstract

A fabrication process for a guidewire. A guidewire core is provided by drawing down a metal wire in stages. The wire is drawn through a first die to produce a first diameter wire. This first diameter wire is then partially drawn through a second die to provide a second, reduced diameter wire segment at one end of the core wire.

Claims

1. A method of fabricating a guidewire to be inserted within a subject comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an elongated core wire of a specified diameter and length;

(b) drawing the core wire at ambient temperature through a plurality of dies having different inner diameters thereby forming;

a first cylindrical portion;

a second cylindrical portion having a diameter less than a diameter of the first cylindrical portion and located distalward of the first cylindrical portion;

a first region separating said first and second cylindrical portions, said region comprising a plurality of shouldered cylindrical steps and having less axial length than either said first or second cylindrical portion;

a third cylindrical portion having a diameter less than the diameter of the second cylindrical portion and located distalward of the second cylindrical portions; and

a second region separating said second and third cylindrical portions, said region comprising a plurality of shouldered cylindrical steps and having less axial length than either said second or third cylindrical portions; and

(c) surrounding at least a portion of the core wire with a flexible coiled spring.

2. A method according to claim 1 including the additional step of heating the core wire under tension after drawing thereby straightening the core wire.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the drawing step comprises drawing said third cylindrical section to an outer diameter less than 0.005".