Guidewire having flexible floppy tip
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A guidewire for use with a medical device catheter, comprising:
- a longitudinally extending core wire having a distal tip portion and an elongated body portion proximal of said distal tip portion, said longitudinally extending core wire being readily bendable from an original configuration to another configuration without kinking, including returning to the original configuration without kinking, said core wire being an alloy including nickel and titanium as the principal components, said alloy having austentic properties selected to substantially preclude temperature-induced shape changes during normal use temperatures, said properties including having an Af temperature, at which reversion to an austentic state is complete, of greater than about 10°
C. and not greater than about 20°
C.;
a ribbon tip at the distal end of said distal tip portion, said ribbon tip being generally rectangular in transverse cross-section to define a ribbon tip width and a ribbon tip height, said ribbon tip height being less than said ribbon tip width and being the smallest transverse cross-sectional dimension along the distal tip portion of the longitudinally extending core wire; and
a coil substantially coaxial with said distal tip portion, said coil extending from said ribbon tip and in a proximal direction along said distal tip portion, said coil substantially surrounding said ribbon tip, said ribbon tip and said coil being secured together.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A guidewire is provided for use with medical devices such as catheters. The guidewire has a structure which is particularly suitable for use as a micro-guidewire which is small enough for use even within the cerebral vascular system. The guidewire includes a unitary core wire of nickel and titanium alloy, which unitary core wire has a distal tip portion including a ribbon tip. A coil is positioned generally along the outside surface of the distal tip portion, including the ribbon tip. The distal tip portion of the device exhibits super-elasticity properties by which the tip is easily bent and rebent without kinking.
247 Citations
13 Claims
-
1. A guidewire for use with a medical device catheter, comprising:
-
a longitudinally extending core wire having a distal tip portion and an elongated body portion proximal of said distal tip portion, said longitudinally extending core wire being readily bendable from an original configuration to another configuration without kinking, including returning to the original configuration without kinking, said core wire being an alloy including nickel and titanium as the principal components, said alloy having austentic properties selected to substantially preclude temperature-induced shape changes during normal use temperatures, said properties including having an Af temperature, at which reversion to an austentic state is complete, of greater than about 10°
C. and not greater than about 20°
C.;a ribbon tip at the distal end of said distal tip portion, said ribbon tip being generally rectangular in transverse cross-section to define a ribbon tip width and a ribbon tip height, said ribbon tip height being less than said ribbon tip width and being the smallest transverse cross-sectional dimension along the distal tip portion of the longitudinally extending core wire; and a coil substantially coaxial with said distal tip portion, said coil extending from said ribbon tip and in a proximal direction along said distal tip portion, said coil substantially surrounding said ribbon tip, said ribbon tip and said coil being secured together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
Specification