Ultrasound imaging guidewire
First Claim
1. A medical guidewire having a substantially uniform small diameter throughout its length and incorporating means for lateral acoustic scanning,said guidewire comprising a proximal connector, an extended main guidewire body portion, an axially elongated transition section, and a floppy tip portion,said main body portion comprising a stationary outer wall including means capable of transmitting torque and, within said outer wall, an elongated rotatable shaft with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer mounted thereon,said proximal connector being constructed to be attached to and detached from a drive device to enable a therapeutic device to be introduced over the guidewire, said connector having a stationary portion secured to said outer wall and an inner drive portion secured to said shaft,said floppy tip portion comprising an outer wire coil and a core rod which tapers from a relatively large diameter, at a proximal joint with said outer wire coil, to a smaller diameter at a floppy distal tip,said transition section joining said main body portion to said floppy tip section in a manner retaining substantially the same lateral stiffness as said main body portion and sufficient torquability to enable torquing of said floppy tip by torque applied to he proximal end of said guidewire.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical guidewire has a substantially uniform small diameter throughout its length and incorporates means for lateral acoustic scanning, and the guidewire comprises a proximal connector, an extended main guidewire body portion, an axially elongated transition section, and a floppy tip portion, the main body portion comprises a stationary outer wall including means capable of transmitting torque and, within the outer wall, an elongated rotatable shaft with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer mounted thereon, the proximal connector is constructed to be attached to and detached from a drive device to enable a therapeutic device to be introduced over the guidewire, the connector has a stationary portion secured to the outer wall and an inner drive portion secured to the shaft, the floppy tip portion comprises an outer wire coil and a core rod which tapers from a relatively large diameter at a proximal joint with the outer wire coil to a floppy distal tip, and the elongated transition section serves to join the main body portion to the floppy tip section in a manner retaining substantially the same lateral stiffness as the main body portion and sufficient torquability to enable torquing of the floppy tip by torque applied to the proximal end of the guidewire.
359 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A medical guidewire having a substantially uniform small diameter throughout its length and incorporating means for lateral acoustic scanning,
said guidewire comprising a proximal connector, an extended main guidewire body portion, an axially elongated transition section, and a floppy tip portion, said main body portion comprising a stationary outer wall including means capable of transmitting torque and, within said outer wall, an elongated rotatable shaft with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer mounted thereon, said proximal connector being constructed to be attached to and detached from a drive device to enable a therapeutic device to be introduced over the guidewire, said connector having a stationary portion secured to said outer wall and an inner drive portion secured to said shaft, said floppy tip portion comprising an outer wire coil and a core rod which tapers from a relatively large diameter, at a proximal joint with said outer wire coil, to a smaller diameter at a floppy distal tip, said transition section joining said main body portion to said floppy tip section in a manner retaining substantially the same lateral stiffness as said main body portion and sufficient torquability to enable torquing of said floppy tip by torque applied to he proximal end of said guidewire.
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7. A medical guidewire incorporating means for lateral acoustic scanning,
said guidewire comprising an extended main guidewire body portion, an axially elongated transition section,. and a floppy tip portion, said main body portion comprising a stationary outer wall including means capable of transmitting torque and, within said outer wall, an elongated rotatable shaft with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer mounted thereon, said elongated transition section joining said main body portion to said floppy tip section in a manner retaining substantially the same lateral stiffness as said main body portion and sufficient torquability to enable torquing of said floppy tip by torque applied to the proximal end of said guidewire, and said transition section, which joins said main body portion and said floppy tip portion, comprising an axially elongated central member joined to one of said portions, said central member interfitting with running clearance, with an outer member joined to the other said portion, substantially the full length of said transition section being occupied by structure that imparts lateral stability to render said transition section kink-resistant.
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12. A medical guidewire incorporating means for lateral acoustic scanning,
said guidewire comprising an extended main guidewire body portion and a floppy tip portion, said main body portion comprising a stationary outer 6 wall including means capable of transmitting torque and, within said outer wall, an elongated rotatable shaft with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer mounted thereon, said stationary outer wall of the main body of said guidewire including a torsion-transmitting multifilar helical coil, a distal portion of said coil extending over the region occupied by said rotatable transducer, the filaments of said coil in said region being substantially spread apart for providing a substantially sonolucent window for said transducer, and extremities of said filaments of said coil located distally of said transducer being secured to transmit torque to said floppy tip portion.
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18. A medical guidewire having a substantially uniform diameter throughout its length and incorporating means for lateral acoustic scanning,
said guidewire comprising a proximal connector portion, an extended main body portion, an axially elongated transition portion, and a floppy tip portion, said main body portion being substantially hollow and having a torque-transmitting winding therearound, said winding extending from said proximal portion across said transition portion, said transition portion containing an acoustic scanning means, said winding attaching to said floppy tip portion to permit full torque transmission from the proximal end to the distal end of said guidewire.
Specification