Guidewire with round forming wire

• US 5,377,690 A
• Filed: 02/09/1993
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Berthiaume, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US08/015,642
• Time in Patent Office: 693 Days
• Field of Search: 128/657, 128/772, 604/95, 604/280-283
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

A guidewire including a core wire extending into a lumen of a helical coil and having a proximal end of the helical coil fixedly attached thereto. At least one round forming wire is fixedly attached to a distal region of the core wire and extends through the lumen of the helical coil. A rounded protrusion is provided at a distal end of the helical coil with the round forming wire(s) and the helical coil fixedly attached thereto.

Claims

1. A guidewire, comprising:

a helical coil having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen;

a core wire having a distal region extending into a lumen of said helical coil and having a proximal end of said helical coil fixedly attached to said core wire;

a plurality of cylindrical round forming wires fixedly attached to said distal region of said core wire and extending through said lumen of said helical coil; and

a protrusion provided at said distal end of said helical coil with said plurality of round cylindrical forming wires and said helical coil fixedly attached thereto;

whereby said plurality of round cylindrical forming wires provides both increased tensile strength and decreased stiffness to the guidewire.

2. A guidewire in accordance with claim 1, wherein said plurality of round forming wires are fixedly attached to said core wire by a brazed joint.

3. A guidewire in accordance with claim 1, wherein said protrusion is formed by melting said helical coil and said plurality of round forming wires into a rounded tip.

4. A guidewire in accordance with claim 1, wherein said helical coil is fixedly attached to said core wire by at least one brazed joint.

5. A guidewire in accordance with claim 1, wherein said helical coil is fixedly attached to said core wire at a tapered section thereof.

6. A guidewire in accordance with claim 5, wherein said helical coil is fixedly attached to said core wire by a brazed joint at a proximal end thereof.

7. A guidewire in accordance with claim 1, wherein individual coils of said helical coil are expanded along a partial length thereof.