Flexible kink resistant, low friction guidewire with formable tip, and method for making same

• US 6,245,030 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Elton, Richard, DuBois, Tom, Teague, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Application Number:
  US09/257,425
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 600/433-436, 600/585
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/022 Metals or alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/041 Mixtures of macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09108 Methods for making a guide wire
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 39/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of N-vinyl-pyrrolidones
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/00 Compositions of polyureas or polyurethanes; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/02 Polyureas
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

A flexible, kink-resistant, low-friction guidewire for positioning a medical instrument through tortuous passageways within a patient is disclosed. The guidewire includes a core wire which remains substantially free of any residual strain when it is positioned within the patient, a metal coil about the core wire and extending substantially the entire length of the core, a primer coating on the coil and a hydrophilic, lubricous coating on the primer coating. The core wire is preferably a superelastic metal alloy such as Nitinol. The metal coil is preferably formed from a wire with a rectangular cross section. The primer is preferably one which reacts with species of isocyanate or hydroxyl, and the hydrophilic, lubricous coating is preferably a cross-linked polymer selected from the group of polyurethane, polyurea, and polyurethaneurea, complexed with a hydrophilic complexing species such as poly(ethylene oxide) or polyvinylpyrrolidone. A method for manufacturing and coating such a guidewire is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for coating a guide wire, comprising the steps of:

applying a polymer primer to the guide wire, the primer reacting with species of isocyanate or hydroxyl;

applying a hydrophilic, lubricous layer over the primer, the hydrophilic, lubricous layer being a cross-linked polymer complexed with a hydrophilic complexing species; and

permitting the hydrophilic, lubricous layer to bond with the polymer primer and cure.