Guidewire bearing to prevent darting

• US 6,258,109 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hefner, Matt, Peskin, Natalya, Wulfman, Edward, Barry, Robert Lawrence, Pearce, Joseph, Hiblar, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, TAN-UYEN THI
• Application Number:
  US09/656,339
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 606/159, 606/170, 606/180, 604/22, 600/585
• US Class Current: 606/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320758 with a rotating cutting instrument, e.g. motor driven A61B17/320725, A61B17/32075 and A61B17/320783 take precedence; for removing intra-ocular material A61F9/00763; endoscopic rotatable cutting instruments A61B17/32002
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320004 abrasive

Abstract

A guide wire for use in atherectomy procedures has a bearing with a static member fixedly secured to the guide wire and a dynamic member rotatably engaged to the static member. The dynamic member can rotate with an atherectomy burr if the burr engages the bearing.

Claims

1. A device for removing unwanted deposits from a lumen of a blood vessel or of a stent in a blood vessel, comprising:

an ablation device;

a drive shaft coupled to the ablation device to selectively rotate the ablation device;

a guide wire extending through the ablation device, the ablation device being advanced over the guide wire to a desired location in a patient'"'"'s vasculature; and

a bearing having a static member that is fixedly coupled to a distal region of the guide wire, the bearing having a dynamic member that is rotatably engaged to the static member that engages the ablation device and rotates when the ablation device is advanced to the distal region of the guide wire.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the dynamic member has a low durometer.

3. A method for removing unwanted deposits from a lumen of a blood vessel or of a stent in a blood vessel, comprising:

advancing a guide wire through a patient'"'"'s vasculature, the guide wire having a bearing with a static member fixedly secured to the guide wire and a dynamic member rotatably engaged to the static member;

positioning the bearing distal to the unwanted deposits; and

advancing an ablation device over the guide wire and through the unwanted deposits until an end region of the ablation device contracts the bearing.

4. A guide wire assembly for use in atherectomy procedures, comprising:

a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a bearing positioned adjacent the distal end of the guide wire, the bearing having a static member fixedly secured to the guide wire and a dynamic member rotatably engaged to the static member, wherein the dynamic member that is free to rotate about the guide wire when an ablation device is advanced to the distal end of the guide wire and contacts the dynamic member.