Guide wire assembly and method for catheter exchange

• US 5,246,009 A
• Filed: 09/20/1991
• Issued: 09/21/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Adams, Daniel O.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US07/763,363
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 128/657, 128/772, 604/95, 604/164, 604/283
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22001 Angioplasty, e.g. PCTA
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0047 the inner layer having a higher lubricity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/104 used for angioplasty

Abstract

A guide wire assembly includes an inner core wire and an outer tube. The inner core wire has a proximal end, a distal end and a torque transmission portion and the outer tube includes a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of the outer tube is coaxially mountable over the proximal end of the inner core wire and extendable distally on the inner core wire to the torque transmission portion. The torque transmission portion defines a raised taper which is frictionally engageable by a recessed taper within the distal end of the outer tube to releasably couple the outer tube to the inner core wire for torque transmission therebetween.

Claims

1. A guide wire comprising:

an inner core wire having a proximal end, a distal end and a torque transmission portion therebetween;

an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, the outer tube being coaxially mountable over the proximal end of the inner core wire and movable distally on the inner core wire to the torque transmission portion thereon, such that the proximal end of the outer tube is disposed distally of the proximal end of the inner core wire; and

means for releasably coupling the distal end of the outer tube to the torque transmission portion of the inner core wire for torque transmission therebetween.

2. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the inner core wire has a constant diameter between its proximal end and the torque transmission portion.

3. The guide wire of claim 2 wherein the torque transmission portion has a diameter that increases distally to a maximum diameter of the inner core wire.

4. The guide wire of claim 3 wherein the inner core wire has a distal portion between the torque transmission portion and the distal end that has a diameter which decreases distally from the maximum diameter to the distal end.

5. The guide wire of claim 4 wherein the distal portion of the inner core wire has a length approximately ten percent of the inner core wire total length.

6. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the inner core wire is approximately 300 cm. in length.

7. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the outer tube has a length at least approximately one-third the length of the inner core wire.

8. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the outer tube has a constant inner diameter from its proximal end to a point just proximal its distal end.

9. The guide wire of claim 8 wherein the inner diameter of the outer tube increases distally from a point just proximal of its distal end.

10. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the means for releasably coupling includes:

a raised taper defined by the inner core wire torque transmission portion; and

a recessed taper defined by the distal end of outer tube which mates with the raised taper to releasably secure the outer tube to the inner core wire.

11. The guide wire of claim 10 wherein the mating of the raised taper and the recessed taper is by frictional engagement.

12. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the means for releasably coupling includes:

a plurality of grooves in one of the torque transmission portion of the inner core wire and an inner wall of the outer tube; and

a plurality of ribs on the other one of the torque transmission portion and the inner wall, the ribs being configured to engage the grooves such that torque applied to the outer tube will be transmitted to the inner core wire through the interengagement of the ribs and grooves.

13. The guide wire of claim 12 wherein the means for releasably coupling further includes:

a concentric channel in one of the torque transmission portion and the inner wall; and

a concentric ridge on the other one of the torque transmission portion and the inner wall, the ridge being adapted to engage the groove in a snap-fit manner when the ribs are engaged with the grooves to releasably secure the outer tube to the inner core wire.

14. The guide wire of claim 13 wherein the plurality of grooves and the concentric channel are in the torque transmission portion of the inner core wire and wherein the plurality of ribs and the concentric ridge are on the inner wall of the outer tube.

15. The guide wire of claim 14 wherein the means for releasably coupling further includes:

a plurality of longitudinal slots arranged between adjacent ribs, the slots allowing snap deflection of the distal end of the outer tube to permit engagement of the ridge with the channel.

18. The guide wire of claim 1 and further including a radiopaque spring tip positioned upon the distal end of the inner core wire, the spring tip including first and second spring coil segments.

20. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the inner core wire has a lubricous coating.

21. The guide wire of claim 20 wherein the coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

22. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the outer tube has a lubricous coating on an inner wall surface thereof.

23. The guide wire of claim 22 wherein the coating is a silicone coating.

24. The guide wire of claim 1 wherein the outer tube has a lubricous coating on an outer wall surface thereof.

25. The guide wire of claim 24 wherein the coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

16. The guide wire of claim and further comprising:

a radiopaque spring tip affixed on the distal end of the inner core wire.

17. The guide wire of claim 16 and further including a safety ribbon extending between and connecting the spring tip and the inner core wire.

19. The guide wire of claim and further including a torque sleeve mounted on the proximal end of the outer tube.

26. A guide wire assembly comprising:

an inner core wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein a diameter thereof is constant from the proximal end to a point between the proximal end and the distal end, where the diameter first increases distally to a maximum, forming a taper, then decreases distally to the distal end; and

an outer tube having a proximal end, a distal end and a lumen extending therethrough from the proximal end to the distal end, with the distal end being coaxially mountable over the proximal end of the inner core wire and the distal end having a tapered recess therein which releasably mates with the taper within a vascular system of a patient for coupling the inner core wire and outer tube for torque transmission therebetween, and wherein the proximal end of the outer tube is disposed distally of the proximal end of the inner core wire, thereby providing means for coupling and uncoupling the inner core wire and outer tube with force applied outside the vascular system of the patient.

27. A method for exchanging a first over-the-wire catheter in a vascular system for a second over-the-wire catheter, therein, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a guide wire assembly over which a first over-the-wire catheter is mounted in a vascular system, with the guide wire assembly having an inner wire and an outer tube coaxially movably mounted over the inner wire;

holding a proximal portion of the inner wire outside of the vascular system to maintain the position of the inner wire within the vascular system;

moving the outer tube and the first over-the-wire catheter proximally over the inner wire;

withdrawing the outer tube and the first over-the-wire catheter out of the vascular system to expose a portion of the inner wire distally from a distal end of the first catheter;

holding the inner wire at said exposed portion to hereafter maintain the position of the inner wire within the vascular system;

releasing the proximal portion of the inner wire;

withdrawing the first over-the-wire catheter and the outer tube from the proximal end of the inner wire;

removing the outer tube from within the first over-the-wire catheter;

installing a distal end of the outer tube within the proximal end of a second over-the-wire catheter;

installing the distal end of the outer tube and the second over-the-wire catheter thereon onto the proximal end of the inner wire;

moving the outer tube and second over-the-wire catheter thereon distally over the inner wire to said exposed portion;

holding the proximal portion of the inner wire to maintain the position of the inner wire within the vascular system;

releasing said exposed portion of the inner wire; and

moving the outer tube and second over-the-wire catheter thereon distally over the inner wire to establish the second over-the-wire catheter in a desired position in the vascular system.

28. The method of claim 27, and further comprising the steps of:

advancing the outer tube and second over-the-wire catheter distally over the inner wire to a point where the outer tube and the inner wire mate for torque transmission and further distal advancement of the outer tube is limited; and

moving the second over-the-wire catheter distally over the outer tube and inner wire to a desired position in the vascular system.