Two-stage treatment wire
First Claim
1. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
- a flexible, predominantly solid, thin elongate wire having an outer diameter, a proximal end and a distal end, the wire having a tapered neck area between the proximal end and the distal end with the outer diameter of the wire being smaller between the neck area and the distal end than between the neck area and the proximal end;
the wire being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium;
a flexible, hollow, elongated tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer diameter and an inner diameter with the outer diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the proximal end of the wire;
the tube being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium;
the inner diameter of the tube being slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire;
the tube and the wire being operatively coupled to form an elongate assembly having a proximal portion and a distal portion with the proximal end of the tube being laser welded to the neck area so as to encase the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire, and the distal end of the tube extending beyond the distal end of the wire to form a cavity;
the distal portion of the elongate assembly being heat treated to be more ductile relative to the proximal portion of the elongate assembly; and
a treating material being secured within the cavity.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A treatment wire is provided for the delivery of a treatment to a site within the body that is composed of two stages. This treatment wire includes a single wire drive portion that is optimal for the proximal end of the treatment wire and engages any storage and/or drive mechanism that may be used in storing and/or deploying the treatment wire. The single drive wire is ground at its distal end to a smaller diameter and encased within a tube forming the second stage of the treatment wire. Because the drive wire terminates proximally to the tube, a cavity is formed that can retain the treating substance to be delivered to the patient. Shape-memory/superelastic material is preferably used for the construction of the treatment wire. When such material is used, the distal end of the treatment wire can be heat treated in order to render it more ductile and, therefore, more desirable for use in the tortuous passageways of the body.
-
Citations
40 Claims
-
1. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
-
a flexible, predominantly solid, thin elongate wire having an outer diameter, a proximal end and a distal end, the wire having a tapered neck area between the proximal end and the distal end with the outer diameter of the wire being smaller between the neck area and the distal end than between the neck area and the proximal end; the wire being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium; a flexible, hollow, elongated tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer diameter and an inner diameter with the outer diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the proximal end of the wire; the tube being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium; the inner diameter of the tube being slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire; the tube and the wire being operatively coupled to form an elongate assembly having a proximal portion and a distal portion with the proximal end of the tube being laser welded to the neck area so as to encase the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire, and the distal end of the tube extending beyond the distal end of the wire to form a cavity; the distal portion of the elongate assembly being heat treated to be more ductile relative to the proximal portion of the elongate assembly; and a treating material being secured within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
-
a flexible, predominantly solid, thin elongate wire having an outer diameter, a proximal end and a distal end, the wire having a tapered neck area between the proximal end and the distal end with the outer diameter of the wire being smaller between the neck area and the distal end than between the neck area and the proximal end; the wire being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium; a flexible, hollow, elongated tube having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer diameter and an inner diameter with the outer diameter of the tube being substantially the same as the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the proximal end of the wire; the tube being constructed from approximately 56% nickel and approximately 44% titanium; the inner diameter of the tube being slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire; the tube and the wire being operatively coupled to form an elongate assembly with the proximal end of the tube being laser welded to the neck area so as to encase the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire, and the distal end of the tube extending beyond the distal end of the wire to form a cavity; the tube being heat treated to be more ductile relative to the wire; and a treating material being secured within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s body comprising:
-
a flexible, predominantly solid, thin elongate wire having an outer diameter a proximal end and a distal end, the wire having a neck area between the proximal end and the distal end with the outer diameter of the wire being smaller between the neck area and the distal end than between the neck area and the proximal end; a flexible, hollow, elongated tubular member having an inner diameter, a proximal end, and a distal end; the inner diameter of the tubular member being slightly larger than the outer diameter of the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire; the proximal end of the tubular member being operatively coupled to the neck area so as to encase the wire between the neck area and the distal end of the wire, and the distal end of the tubular member extending beyond the distal end of the wire to form a cavity; and a treating material secured within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
-
35. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s comprising:
-
a flexible, predominantly solid, thin elongate wire composed of a superelastic alloy having a proximal end and a distal end; a flexible, hollow, elongated tube composed of a superelastic alloy having a proximal end and a distal end; the proximal end of the tube being operatively coupled to a coupling point on the wire short of the distal end of the wire so as to encase the wire between the coupling point and the distal end of the wire and forming a wire/tube assembly wherein the distal end of the tube extends beyond the distal end of the wire to form a cavity; the wire/tube assembly having a distal end and a proximal end; and the distal end of the wire/tube assembly is metallurgically treated to have increased deformability relative to the proximal end of the wire/tube assembly. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
-
-
38. A flexible treatment device for treating a selected site within a patient'"'"'s comprising:
-
a flexible, elongate wire composed of a superelastic alloy having a proximal end and a distal end; a flexible, hollow, elongated tube composed of a superelastic alloy having a proximal end and a distal end; the proximal end of the tube being operatively coupled to a coupling point on the wire short of the distal end of the wire so as to encase a portion of the wire and form a wire/tube assembly having a distal end and a proximal end; and the distal end of the wire/tube assembly being treated to be less superelastic relative to the proximal end of the wire/tube assembly. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
-
Specification