Fiber optic guide wire and support catheter therefor

• US 5,514,128 A
• Filed: 04/08/1994
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Spectranetics Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Solar, Matthew S., Taylor, Kevin D., Kasprzyk, Daniel J., Hillsman, Cecily M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/225,061
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 606/2, 606/3, 606/7, 606/10-17, 607/89, 128/772
• US Class Current: 606/7
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22038 with a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09166 having radio-opaque features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0009 Making of catheters or other medical or surgical tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0108 using radio-opaque or ultrasound markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0905 extendable, e.g. mechanisms for extension

Abstract

A guide wire for a catheter has a tubular portion with a flexible body fixed to its distal end. The distal end of the body may be composed of a radiopaque material. Optical fibers are disposed within the assembly and terminate in a radiopaque tip at the distal end of the body. The guide wire may have a longitudinal marker wire or mandrel for providing stiffness and radioscopic tracking characteristics, as well as providing torsional control and tip shaping capabilities. The guide wire has a proximal end attached to the tube and a distal end that also terminates in the tip. The wire may be maneuvered in a vascular area like a conventional guide wire and may be used in conjunction with a support catheter to increase its maneuverability. Then, laser energy is conveyed to the vascular area by the optical fibers to ablate an obstruction. The proximal end of the guide wire is then removed and a larger catheter may then be slid over the guide wire to continue the ablation operation. Employing plastic tubing, a wire coil, or a combination of these two for the distal body, the guide wire may be used in peripheral or coronary angioplasty applications. The guide wire may be used in conjunction with a support catheter which is used to direct the guide wire to a treatment site and provides improved tracking characteristics.

Claims

1. A fiber optic guide wire apparatus comprising:

a hollow guide wire assembly comprising a hypo tube and a hollow outer jacket, said hollow outer jacket having a proximal end connected to a distal end of said hypo tube, said hollow guide wire assembly having a distal end termination;

a plug disposed at a distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly and having a distal face flush with said distal end termination of said hollow guide wire assembly;

an optical fiber bundle disposed within said guide wire assembly and including a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fiber bundle extending through said plug and having a distal face terminating at said distal face of said plug;

said plug surrounding said optical fibers in said bundle and bonding said fibers to said distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly;

a mandrel, disposed within said guide wire assembly, having a distal end terminating at said distal end of said guide wire assembly, said mandrel cooperating with said optical fiber bundle to permit said distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly to be shaped as desired by an operator;

means for introducing light energy into a proximal end of said optical fiber bundle; and

an exchange lead having a distal end connected to a proximal end of said hypo tube;

wherein a proximal end of said mandrel terminates proximate to a proximal end of said exchange lead.

2. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a shrink tube disposed on said optical fiber bundle proximal to a proximal end of said exchange lead;

whereby said shrink tube maintains fibers in said optical fiber bundle together when said optical fiber bundle is severed between said shrink tube and said proximal end of said exchange lead.

3. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mandrel comprises:

a base portion at said proximal end; and

a flattened portion at said distal end.

4. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 3, wherein said mandrel further comprises an enlarged portion intermediate said base portion and said flattened portion.

5. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 4, wherein said enlarged portion is substantially coextensive with a proximal end of said outer jacket.

6. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 1, wherein said outer jacket comprises a distal jacket and a wire coil.

7. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a torque knob disposed on said hypo tube, said torque knob engaging said guide wire assembly to transmit torque applied to said knob to said distal end of said guide wire assembly.

8. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 1, said apparatus further comprising:

a support catheter coextensive with and covering at least an intermediate portion of said hollow guide wire assembly.

9. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 8, said support catheter comprising:

a proximal portion having a first stiffness; and

a distal portion having a second stiffness less than said first stiffness.

10. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 9, wherein:

said proximal portion includes a proximal portion of a catheter body and an outer jacket concentrically disposed around said proximal portion of said catheter body; and

said distal portion includes a distal portion of said catheter body.

11. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a marker band at a distal end of said support catheter.

12. A fiber optic guide wire apparatus comprising:

a hollow guide wire assembly comprising a hypo tube and a hollow outer jacket, said hollow outer jacket having a proximal end connected to a distal end of said hypo tube, said hollow guide wire assembly having a distal end termination;

a plug disposed at a distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly and having a distal face flush with said distal end termination of said hollow guide wire assembly;

an optical fiber bundle disposed within said guide wire assembly and including a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fiber bundle extending through said plug and having a distal face terminating at said distal face of said plug;

said plug surrounding said optical fibers in said bundle and bonding said fibers to said distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly;

means for introducing light energy into a proximal end of said optical fiber bundle;

a torque knob disposed on said hypo tube, said torque knob engaging said guide wire assembly to transmit torque applied to said knob to said distal end of said guide wire assembly;

an exchange lead having a distal end connected to a proximal end of said hypo tube; and

a tail tube having a distal end covering at least a proximal end of said exchange lead and a proximal end connected to said means for introducing light energy;

wherein said torque knob is disposed distal to a distal end of said tail tube and may be freely slid along said hypo tube and said exchange lead to remove said tail tube.

13. A fiber optic guide wire apparatus, comprising:

a hollow guide wire assembly comprising a hypo tube, and a hollow outer jacket, said hollow outer jacket having a proximal end connected to a distal end of said hypo tube, said hollow guide wire assembly having a distal end termination;

a plug disposed at a distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly and having a distal face flush with said distal end termination of said hollow guide wire assembly;

an optical fiber bundle disposed within said guide wire assembly and including a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fiber bundle having a distal face terminating at said distal face of said plug;

a mandrel, disposed within said hollow guide wire assembly, having a distal end terminating at said distal end of said guide wire assembly; and

means for introducing light energy into a proximal end of said optical fiber bundle; and

an exchange lead having a distal end connected to a proximal end of said hypo tube;

wherein said plug surrounds said optical fibers in said optical fiber bundle and said mandrel and bonds said optical fibers and said mandrel to said distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly; and

wherein a proximal end of said mandrel terminates proximate to a proximal end of said exchange lead.

14. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 13 wherein said mandrel, said plug and said distal end of said optical fiber bundle are rotatable independent of a distal portion of said guide wire apparatus exclusive of said distal end.

15. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 13, wherein said outer jacket comprises a distal jacket and a wire coil.

16. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 13, wherein said mandrel comprises:

a base portion at said proximal end; and

a flattened portion at said distal end.

17. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 16, wherein said mandrel further comprises an enlarged portion intermediate said base portion and said flattened portion.

18. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 17, wherein said enlarged portion is substantially coextensive with a proximal end of said outer jacket.

19. A fiber optic guide wire apparatus, comprising:

a hollow guide wire assembly comprising a hypo tube, and a hollow outer jacket, said hollow outer jacket having a proximal end connected to a distal end of said hypo tube, said hollow guide wire assembly having a distal end termination;

a plug disposed at a distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly and having a distal face flush with said distal end termination of said hollow guide wire assembly;

an optical fiber bundle disposed within said guide wire assembly and including a plurality of optical fibers, said optical fiber bundle having a distal face terminating at said distal face of said plug;

a mandrel, disposed within said hollow guide wire assembly, having a distal end terminating at said distal end of said guide wire assembly; and

means for introducing light energy into a proximal end of said optical fiber bundle; and

a torque knob disposed on said hypo tube, said mandrel being coupled to said hypo tube, said torque knob engaging said guide wire assembly to transmit torque applied to said knob through said mandrel to said distal end of said guide wire assembly;

wherein said plug surrounds said optical fibers in said optical fiber bundle and said mandrel and bonds said optical fibers and said mandrel to said distal end of said hollow guide wire assembly.

20. The fiber optic guide wire apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:

an exchange lead having a distal end connected to a proximal end of said hypo tube; and

a tail tube having a distal end covering at least a proximal end of said exchange lead and a proximal end connected to said means for introducing light energy;

wherein said torque knob is disposed distal to a distal end of said tail tube and may be freely slid along said hypo tube and said exchange lead to remove said tail tube.