NiTi alloyed guidewires

• US 6,352,515 B1
• Filed: 12/13/1999
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Nicotra, Nancy, Jalisi, Marc Mehrzad, Cornish, Wayne E., Anderson, David M., Richardson, Mark T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lacyk, John P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/459,814
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 600/585, 604/523, 604/525, 604/528, 604/530
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09083 having a coil around a core
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09133 having specific material compositions or coatings; Materials with specific mechanical behaviours, e.g. stiffness, strength to transmit torque
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09141 made of shape memory alloys which take a particular shape at a certain temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an intracorporeal device, preferably a guidewire, and method for making the same. The device, has proximal and distal ends and includes an elongated high strength proximal portion having proximal and distal ends. The device further includes a distal portion having proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the proximal portion and the proximal end of the distal portion are connected by a connector. The distal portion is formed of a superelastic alloy composition. Preferably, the connector is also formed of the superelastic alloy composition. The superelastic alloy composition includes, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and up to about 20% of at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of palladium, chromium, and hafnium.

Claims

1. An intravascular guidewire having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an elongated high strength proximal portion having proximal and distal ends;

a distal portion having proximal and distal ends, the distal portion formed of a superelastic alloy composition; and

means for connecting the distal end of the proximal portion and the proximal end of the distal portion and formed at least in part of the superelastic alloy composition, the superelastic alloy composition including, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and up to 20% hafnium as alloying element.

2. The guidewire of claim 1 wherein hafnium is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 3 to about 20.

3. The guidewire of claim 2 wherein hafnium is present, in atomic percent, in range from about 5 to about 11.

20. The guidewire of claim 1 wherein hafnium is present, in atomic percent, up to about 20.

4. An intravascular guidewire having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an elongated high strength proximal portion having proximal and distal ends;

a distal portion having proximal and distal ends, the distal portion formed of a superelastic alloy composition; and

means for connecting the distal end of the proximal portion and the proximal end of the distal portion and formed at least in part of the superelastic alloy composition, the superelastic alloy composition including, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and from about 0.1 to about 1% chromium.

5. The guidewire of claim 4 wherein chromium is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 0.2 to about 0.5.

6. An intravascular guidewire having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

a proximal and a distal portion each having proximal and distal ends; and

means for connecting the distal end of the proximal portion and the proximal end of the distal portion, the proximal portion, the distal portion, and the connecting means formed of an alloy composition including, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and up to about 20% of at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of palladium, chromium, and hafnium.

7. The guidewire of claim 6 wherein the alloying element is hafnium or palladium, and is present, in atomic percent, in range from about 3 to about 20.

8. The guidewire of claim 7 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in range from about 5 to about 11.

9. The guidewire of claim 7 wherein the alloying element is palladium.

10. The guidewire of claim 6 wherein the alloying element is chromium and is present, in atomic percent, in a range up to about 3.

11. The guidewire of claim 10 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 0.1 to about 1.

12. The guidewire of claim 11 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 0.2 to about 0.5.

13. An intravascular guidewire having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an elongated core having distal and proximal portions, the core proximal and distal portions, independently including, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and up to about 20% of at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of palladium, chromium, and hafnium.

14. The guidewire of claim 13 wherein the alloying element is hafnium or palladium, and is present, in atomic percent, in range from about 3 to about 20.

15. The guidewire of claim 14 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in range from about 5 to about 11.

16. The guidewire of claim 14 wherein the alloying element is palladium.

17. The guidewire of claim 13 wherein the alloying element is chromium and is present, in atomic percent, in a range up to about 3.

18. The guidewire of claim 17 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 0.1 to about 1.

19. The guidewire of claim 18 wherein the alloying element is present, in atomic percent, in a range from about 0.2 to about 0.5.

21. An intravascular guidewire having proximal and distal ends, comprising:

an elongated high strength proximal portion having proximal and distal ends;

a distal portion having proximal and distal ends, the distal portion formed of a superelastic alloy composition; and

means for connecting the distal end of the proximal portion and the proximal end of the distal portion and formed at least in part of the superelastic alloy composition, the superelastic alloy composition including, in atomic percent, from about 28 to about 52% nickel, from about 48 to about 52% titanium, and from about 5 to about 11% of at least one alloying element selected from the group consisting of palladium, and hafnium.