High performance plastic coated medical guidewire

• US 5,333,620 A
• Filed: 09/08/1993
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ave Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: MacMore, Bruce N., Moutafis, Timothy E., Elton, Richard K., DuBois, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US08/118,131
• Time in Patent Office: 328 Days
• Field of Search: 128/657, 128/658, 128/772, 604/164, 604/170, 604/180, 604/280-282
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09091 where a sheath surrounds the coil at the distal part
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09166 having radio-opaque features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A guidewire having a metal wire core and a high performance plastic sleeve extruded thereover. A tapering distal portion of the metal wire core extends beyond the high performance plastic sleeve. A coil formed of radiopaque material is mounted about the distal portion. A compliant jacket covers the high performance plastic sleeve and the radiopaque coil. The compliant jacket includes a lubricious coating.

Claims

1. A medical guidewire comprising:

an elongated metal core; and

a plastic layer surrounding said elongated metal core at least partially along its length thereof, said plastic layer having a flexural modulus which does not degrade below 150,000 p.s.i. after exposure to an aqueous environment at a temperature of approximately 37°

C., such as human blood, and an elongation at yield of at least 2%.

2. The medical guidewire recited in claim 1 wherein said plastic layer and said elongated metal core are directly connected.

3. The medical guidewire recited in claim 2 wherein said plastic layer is extruded over said elongated metal core.

4. The medical guidewire recited in claim 2 wherein said plastic layer is bonded to said elongated metal core.

16. The medical guidewire recited in claim 1 further comprising a compliant jacket covering said plastic layer.

17. The medical guidewire recited in claim 16 wherein said compliant jacket is shrinkwrapped to said plastic layer.

18. The medical guidewire recited in claim 16 wherein said compliant jacket is formed of a polyurethane material.

19. The medical guidewire recited in claim 16 wherein said compliant jacket supports a lubricious material.

20. The medical guidewire recited in claim 19 wherein said lubricious material includes a lubricious coating on the surface of said compliant jacket.

21. The medical guidewire recited in claim 19 wherein said lubricious material is contained within said compliant jacket.

22. The medical guidewire recited in claim 19 wherein said lubricious material is hydrophilic.

23. The medical guidewire recited in claim 19 wherein said lubricious material is selected from the group of materials consisting of a complex of polyurethane, polyvinylpyrrlidone, a complex of polyurethane and poly(ethylene oxide) and mixtures thereof

24. The medical guidewire recited in claim 16 wherein said plastic layer terminates proximally to a distal portion of said elongated metal core and said compliant jacket covers said plastic layer and a said distal portion.

25. The medical guidewire recited in claim 24 wherein said distal portion includes a gradually tapering portion and said compliant jacket covering includes a gradual taper relative thereto.

26. The medical guidewire recited in claim 24 wherein said compliant jacket includes a closed rounded end extending beyond said distal end.

27. The medical guidewire recited in claim 26 wherein said closed rounded end is filled with a resin.

28. The medical guidewire recited in claim 1 wherein said plastic layer is formed from a high performance plastic.

29. The medical guidewire recited in claim 28 wherein said high performance plastic is selected from the group of materials consisting of polysulfone, polyimide, polyester, polyetheretherketone, polyarylene ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyarylene sulfide, polyamideimide, polyetherimide, polyimidesulfone, polyarylsulfone, and polyarylethersulfone.

5. The medical guidewire recited in claim wherein a distal end of said plastic layer terminates proximal to a distal portion of said elongated metal core.

6. The medical guidewire recited in claim 5 wherein said distal end of said plastic layer tapers towards said elongated metal core.

7. The medical guidewire recited in claim 6 wherein said distal end taper is uniform.

8. The medical guidewire recited in claim 5 further including a flexible coil positioned about said distal portion of said elongate metal core.

9. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein said flexible coil contains a radiopaque material.

10. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein said flexible coil is formed from a radiopaque metal wire.

11. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein a proximal end of said flexible coil is fixed to said distal end of said plastic layer.

12. The medical guidewire recited in claim 11 wherein said proximal end of said flexible coil is fixed to said distal portion of said elongated metal core.

13. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein a distal tip of said distal portion has a perimeter wider than the inner perimeter of said flexible coil.

14. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein the outer diameter of said medical guidewire is uniform along the length thereof.

15. The medical guidewire recited in claim 8 wherein at least a portion of said distal portion of said elongated metal core is tapered towards the axis thereof,

30. A medical guidewire comprising:

an elongated metal wire having a tapering distal portion;

a radiopaque coil mounted about said tapering distal portion;

a high performance plastic sleeve extruded over said elongated metal wire and terminating proximal to said tapering distal portion, said high performance plastic sleeve having a flexural modulus which does not degrade below 150,000 p.s.i. after exposure to an aqueous environment at a temperature of approximately 37°

C., such as human blood, and an elongation at yield of at least 2%.

a compliant jacket shrinkwrapped over said high performance plastic sleeve and said radiopaque coil; and

a lubricious material supported by said compliant jacket.

31. A medical guidewire comprising:

an elongated core formed from a non-superelastic metal; and

a plastic layer surrounding said elongated non-superelastic metal core at least partially along its length thereof, said plastic layer having a flexural modulus which does not degrade below 150,000 p.s.i. after exposure to an aqueous environment at a temperature of approximately 37°

C., such as human blood, and an elongation at yield of at least 2%.