AU7561891A - Creation of Inventions and Patents with Artificial Intelligence

AU7561891A – Guidewire with flexible distal tip
– Google Patents

AU7561891A – Guidewire with flexible distal tip
– Google Patents
Guidewire with flexible distal tip

Info

Publication number
AU7561891A

AU7561891A
AU75618/91A
AU7561891A
AU7561891A
AU 7561891 A
AU7561891 A
AU 7561891A
AU 75618/91 A
AU75618/91 A
AU 75618/91A
AU 7561891 A
AU7561891 A
AU 7561891A
AU 7561891 A
AU7561891 A
AU 7561891A
Authority
AU
Australia
Prior art keywords
sleeve
guidewire
distal end
end section
length
Prior art date
1990-03-19
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)

Granted

Application number
AU75618/91A
Other versions

AU651094B2
(en

Inventor
Erik T. Engelson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)

Target Therapeutics Inc

Original Assignee
Target Therapeutics Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
1990-03-19
Filing date
1991-03-19
Publication date
1991-10-21

1991-03-19
Application filed by Target Therapeutics Inc
filed
Critical
Target Therapeutics Inc

1991-10-21
Publication of AU7561891A
publication
Critical
patent/AU7561891A/en

1993-09-30
Assigned to TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.
reassignment
TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Amend patent request/document other than specification (104)
Assignors: TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.

1993-10-14
Assigned to TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.
reassignment
TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Alteration of Name(s) of Applicant(s) under S113
Assignors: TARGET THERAPEUTICS, INC.

1994-07-14
Application granted
granted
Critical

1994-07-14
Publication of AU651094B2
publication
Critical
patent/AU651094B2/en

2011-03-19
Anticipated expiration
legal-status
Critical

Status
Ceased
legal-status
Critical
Current

Links

Espacenet

Global Dossier

Discuss

Classifications

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR

A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes

A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters

A61M25/09—Guide wires

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR

A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes

A61M2025/0098—Catheters; Hollow probes having a strain relief at the proximal end, e.g. sleeve

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR

A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes

A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters

A61M25/09—Guide wires

A61M2025/09058—Basic structures of guide wires

A61M2025/09083—Basic structures of guide wires having a coil around a core

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR

A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes

A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters

A61M25/09—Guide wires

A61M2025/09108—Methods for making a guide wire

A—HUMAN NECESSITIES

A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE

A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR

A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes

A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters

A61M25/09—Guide wires

A61M2025/09175—Guide wires having specific characteristics at the distal tip

Description

– i –
GUIDE IRE WITH FLEXIBLE DISTAL TIP
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a catheter guidewire, and in particular, to a guidewire having a flexible distal tip, and to a method of making the guide- wire.
Background of the Invention
Catheters are being used increasingly as a means for delivering diagnostic or therapeutic agents to internal target sites that can be accessed through the circulatory system. Often the site which one wishes to access by catheter is buried within a soft tissue, such as brain or liver, and is only reached by a tortuous route through small vessels or ducts—typically less than about 3 mm lumen diameter—in the tissue.
In one general method for accessing a deep-organ target site along a tortuous-path vessel, a torqueable guide wire and catheter are directed as a unit from a body access site to a tissue region containing a target site. The guide wire is bent at its distal end and may be guided by alternately rotating and advancing the wire along a tortuous, small-vessel pathway, to the target site. Typically the guide wire and catheter are advanced by alternately advancing the wire along a region of the pathway, then advancing the catheter axially over the advanced wire portion.

The difficulty in accessing such target body regions is that the catheter and guidewire must be quite flexible in order to follow the tortuous path into the tissue, and at the same time, stiff enough to allow the distal end of the catheter to be manipulated from an external access site, which may be as much as a meter or more from the tissue site.
Heretofore, catheter guidewires for use in guiding a catheter along a tortuous path have employed a variable-flexibility construction in which the distal end section of the wire is tapered along its length to allow greater flexibility at the wire’s distal end region, where the sharpest wire turns are encountered. The tapered section of the wire is encased in a wire coil, such as a platinum coil, to increase the column strength of the tapered wire section without significant loss of flexibility in this region. Such guide wire constructions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patents, No. 3,789,841, 4,545,390, and 4,619,274. The tapered guidewire construction just described is prepared, typically, by forming a fine-wire coil, cutting the coil to a desired length, and fastening the coil to the tapered distal end section of the guidewire, typically by soldering. This method of construction is relatively time consuming and costly in manufacture. Further, the solder attachment of the coil to the guidewire tip may crack during use, presenting the danger of having the coil separate from the wire within a vessel in the patient. Another limitation of the prior art construction is that the distal end section of the wire tends to kink on bending if the coil loses its relatively tight pitch, e.g., by being irreversibly stretched during use.

Disclosure of the Invention
It is a general object of the invention to provide a guidewire which overcomes limitations or reduces above-noted problems associated with prior art flexible tip guidewires.
The guidewire of the invention includes an elongate wire having a proximal section and a flexible distal end section which is at least about 3 cm long. The distal end section is encased in an elongate polymeric sleeve having, along the length of the sleeve, (a) a continuous polymer expanse, and (b) axially spaced grooves which are effective to increase the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, over the bending flexibility in the absence of the groove.
The sleeve may have inner and outer sleeve portions formed of polymer materials having different flexibilities, such as a low-density polyethylene or latex forming the inner sleeve portion, and a Teflon™, high-density polyethylene, or polyurethane forming the outer sleeve portion. Alternatively, or in addition, the polymer material forming the sleeve may have a relatively greater flexibility progressing in a proximal-to-distal direction. The grooves or helical groove formed in the outer sleeve portion may be dimensioned to provide greater flexibility on progressing toward the distal end of the sleeve. This can be accomplished by increasing the radial depth and/or the axial width of the groove(s) on progressing toward the sleeve’s distal end.
In another aspect, the invention includes a method of increasing the column strength in the tapered, reduced- diameter distal end section of a catheter guidewire. The method includes encasing the end section in an elongate polymeric sleeve having, along the length of the sleeve, (a) a continuous polymer expanse, and

(b) axially spaced grooves which are effective to increase the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, over the bending flexibility in the absence of the groove. Also disclosed is a catheter apparatus composed of the guide wire and a thin-walled catheter designed to be advanced along the guidewire through a tortuous vessel path, for positioning at a target site.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 shows a catheter apparatus, including a flexible- tip guidewire constructed according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary distal-end portion, shown partially in sectional view, of an embodiment of the guidewire of the invention having a helical groove formed in the outer sleeve portion of the guidewire;
Figure 3 illustrates how the grooves in the outer sleeve portion of the guidewire, such as the Figure 3 guidewire, accommodate bending;
Figure 4 is a view like that in Figure 2, illustrating an embodiment of the guidewire having formed in the outer sleeve portion of the wire, a series of axially spaced grooves whose depths increase on progressing toward the distal end of the guidewire;
Figure 5 is a view like Figure 2, illustrating a guidewire embodiment with a coaxial-sleeve construction; Figure 6 is a view like Figure 2, illustrating an embodiment of the invention in which material forming the sleeve in the guidewire has a single-step flexibility gradient along its length;
Figure is a view like Figure 2, illustrating an embodiment of the invention having a series of axially spaced non-circumferential grooves formed in its outer sleeve portion;

Figure 8 is a view like Figure 2, illustrating an embodiment of the invention in which grooves are formed on the inner wall of the sleeve;
Figure 9 is a schematic view of a method of producing a guidewire of the type illustrated in Figure 2;
Figure 10 is a schematic view of a method of producing a guidewire of the type illustrated in Figure 4; and
Figure 11 is a schematic view of a method of producing an extruded polymer sleeve with an accordion outer surface portion.
Detailed Description of the Invention
A. Guidewire Construction
Figure 1 shows a catheter device or apparatus 10 designed for accessing an internal target site in a body along a tortuous vessel path. The device generally includes a catheter 12 and a guidewire 14 constructed according to the present invention, as detailed below.
With continued reference to Figure 1, the cathe¬ ter is composed of an elongate tubular member 16 having proximal and distal ends 18, 20, respectively. The tubular member is preferably between about 50-300 cm in length, typically between about 100-200 cm in length. The tubular member is preferably composed of a relatively stiff proximal section, indicated at 22, which extends along a major portion of the catheter length, and one or more relatively flexible distal sections, such as section 24, which provide greater ability of the catheter to track the guidewire through sharp bends and turns which may be encountered as the catheter is advanced along a tortuous path. The construction of a catheter having differential flexibility along its length is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,739,768.
An inner lumen 26, indicated by the dashed lines, extends between the two ends of the catheter. The

lumen may have a substantially uniform cross-sectional area along its length, or may vary along the catheter length, for example, in a distal end taper. It will be appreciated that the tapered construction may require a similar taper in the diameter of the guidewire, to maintain suitable clearance between the guidewire and catheter.
The catheter has an end fitting 28 through which the guidewire is received, and through which fluid material can be introduced into the catheter lumen. One standard fitting which is suitable has an axially extending port 30 through which the guidewire can be received and rotated (torqued) and advanced or retracted axially within the catheter, during a catheter placement operation. An external port 34 may be used to deliver fluid material through the catheter at the target site, after removal of the guidewire.
Figure 2 shows an enlarged, partially cross- sectional view of a distal end section of a guidewire 36 constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention. The wire includes an elongate wire core 38 having a relatively stiff proximal section 40 which extends along a major portion of the guidewire, and a more flexible distal section 42 which is preferably tapered along its length as shown.
The wire core is formed of a flexible, torqueable wire filament material, such as stainless steel, and has a total length typically between about 50-300 cm. The proximal section 40 preferably has a uniform diameter thickness along its length of between about 8-30 mils (thousandths of an inch) . The relatively more flexible section extends along the distal 3-30 cm or more of the wire core. The taper in the core wire may be continuous, as shown, or stepwise over one or more reduced diameter steps. The minimum diameter of the core at its distal end is preferably between about 1-5 mils.

In one embodiment, the distal end portion of the wire core is coated with a gold or other radio-opaque plating material, to allow this portion of the wire to be visualized by fluoroscopy. The plating may be applied by electroplating, sputtering, or other metal plating methods. The thickness of the plating is preferably between about 0.2 to 0.5 mils.
The distal region of the wire core, i.e., at least about a 3-cm distal end section of the core, is encased in an elongate polymeric sleeve 44. The length of the sleeve is preferably about 3-25 cm, and the wall thickness is preferably between about 2-10 mils.
The material forming the sleeve includes at least an inner or outer sleeve portion which is relatively non-elastic under axial compression or extension. Preferred polymers include Teflon™, a high-density polyσlefin (e.g., polyethylene), or polyurethane which can be bonded or otherwise tightly affixed to the core wire, and which itself has a low-friction surface, as is the case for Teflon™, or whose surface can be coated with a low-friction surface. Other suitable coatings include virtually any polymer having exposed hydrogens, such as polyester, polycarbonate, polyvinylchloride, latex or silicone rubber, polystyrene, and a surface coating formed of a highly hydrophilic, low-friction polymer such as polyvinylpyrrolidone,polyethyleneoxide, or polyhydroxyethylmethacrylate or copolymers thereof.
The sleeve can be formed conventionally, such as by extrusion, or molding, dip coating. In the former case, the extruded sleeve can be attached to the wire core by friction fit, adhesives, or heat-shrinkage. In the case of a molded sleeve, the polymer material is preferably molded directly on the distal end region of the wire core. The sleeve-encased portion of the wire may be surface roughened, such as by chemical treatment, prior to molding. Forming the sleeve by dip coating is done by

successive dipping of the core distal region in a suitable polymer solution, according to conventional methods of polymer coat build-up. As will be seen below, the sleeve may be composed of two or more different polymer materials which differ in flexibility along either the axis or radial dimension of the sleeve.
With continued reference to Figure 2, sleeve 44 has a helical groove 46 (referred to hereinbelow as axially spaced grooves or groove means) extending along a major portion of its length. The grooves, which can be formed according to the method described below with reference to Figure 8, have a uniform depth and helical pitch substantially along the length of the sleeve. The depth of the grooves is preferably at least about 50% percent of the average radial dimension of the sleeve. The pitch of the groove is preferably about 5-50 mils. The width of the grooves is preferably about 10-40% of the width of the pitch, e.g., 2-10 mils. The grooves in the sleeve form helical strands or windings 48 which are formed integrally with and encircle an inner portion 49 of the sleeve. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the groove is formed by cutting with a blade, as described in Section B below.
The guidewire is provided with a pair of radio-opaque bands 45, 47 located adjacent opposite ends of the sleeve, as shown, for use in visualizing the guidewire fluoroscopically (if the distal section of the wire core is not plated with a radio-opaque material) . The sleeve portion of the bands is formed of gold, platinum or the like and clamped to the guidewire.
Figure 3 shows the distal end region of the Figure 2 wire in a bent configuration, illustrating how the helical grooves in the sleeve contribute to greater flexibility in the distal end of the guidewire. It is known that the force required for bending a tube is related to the wall thickness of the tube, the tube’s

outer diameter, and the bending modulus of the material forming the tube. In the present case, the helical windings in the outer portion of the sleeve effectively reduce the outer diameter of the outer portion of the sleeve by the depth of the groove, typically greater than half the sleeve wall thickness. This substantially reduces the effective bending modulus of the material (by reducing the thickness of the wall which undergoes bend¬ ing) . On the inner side of the arc, the windings can accommodate bending by a slight radial displacement, as indicated, also reducing the effective bending modulus by reducing the radius of the inner wall of the tube.
Also as seen in Figure 3, when the guidewire is in a bent condition, the helical windings on the inner side of the bending arc are brought into contact with one another, and at a sufficient bending angle, become compressed against one another. This contact and compression increases the effective cross sectional thickness and resistance to axial compression in the guidewire, thus increasing the column strength of the guidewire in the region of the bend.
Also, the radial sliding movement of the windings under compression, noted above, relieves localized compression in the region of the turn, and thus reduces the tendency of the wire to buckle under axial compression in a region of sharp turn.
Figure 4 shows an enlarged, partially cross sectional view of the distal end region of a guidewire 50 constructed according to another embodiment of the invention. The wire core and polymer sleeve forming the distal end portion of the guidewire are indicated at 52, 54, respectively. The invention differs from the Figure 2 embodiment in two respects. First, the sleeve, when placed on the tapered portion of the wire core, has a substantially uniform diameter along its length, corresponding approximately to the outer diameter of the

core wire. The sleeve can be formed, for example, by molding the sleeve on the tapered end section of the wire core, or by dip coating to produce progressively greater sleeve thickness on progressing toward the distal end of the sleeve.
Secondly, the groove means in the sleeve includes a plurality of axially spaced circumferential grooves, such as grooves 56 extending through an outer portion 58 of the sleeve, with increasing groove depth on progressing toward the distal end of the sleeve. As seen, the depth of the grooves is such as to define a substantially uniform-thickness inner portion 60 extending along the length of the sleeve, in contact with the tapered portion of the core. The depth of the grooves increases from about 10% to about 80% of the radial thickness of the sleeve, on progressing distally. The axial spacing between grooves is similar to the pitch of the helical groove in the Figure 2 embodiment.
The grooves form a plurality of axially spaced rings, such as rings 62, with uniform outer diameters and decreasing inner diameters progressing distally along the sleeve. The grooves may be formed, for example, by the method described below with reference to Figure 10. The functioning of the rings to produce flexibility along the length of the distal portion of the guidewire, and reduce the tendency of the wire to buckle is substantially as described with reference to Figure 3. In particular, the relatively deeper grooves in the sleeve in the distal direction provide a small, substantially uniform effective wall thickness along the outer arc of the entire sleeve length on bending.
It will be appreciated that the guidewire construction shown in Figure 4 provides greater column strength than the Figure 2 construction on bending, due to the greater effective thickness of the sleeve in a bent condition in which the rings of the sleeve are in contact

_ _
and are compressed against one another along the inner arc of the turn.
Guidewire 50, as well as the guidewires illustrated in Figures 5-7, are provided with radio-opaque bands, such as bands 55, 57 shown in Figure 4.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment of a guidewire 64 constructed according to a third embodiment of the invention. Guidewire 64 differs from guidewire 36 shown in Figure 2 in that the sleeve, here indicated at 66, is composed of an inner, elastomeric tube 68, and an outer, relatively non-elastic tube 70 encasing the inner tube. The two tubes may be formed together by fusing them chemically or by heat, by an adhesive, or by heat shrinking the outer tube over the inner one. Typically the inner tube is formed of latex or other flexible elastomer, and the outer tube, of polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, or Teflon™.
The groove means formed in sleeve 66 includes axially spaced circumferential grooves 72 which extend through outer tube 70 only. Preferably the width of the grooves is sufficiently small, e.g., less than about a mil, so that the rings formed by the grooves in the outer portion of the sleeve are in contact with one another in the straight condition of the wire. The column flexibility of the distal end portion of the wire is provided by the elastomeric inner sleeve portion, which allows the relatively incompressible rings formed in the outer sleeve portion to spread apart in the outer arc of a bend. That is, the resistance to bending contributed by the sleeve is the resistance of the elastomeric sleeve itself to bending plus the distortion in the elastomeric sleeve produced by the spreading apart of the rings in the outer arc of the bend. It can be appreciated that this resistance can be made quite small. At the same time, the stacking of the rings against one another, either in a straight- or bent-wire

. _12_
configuration adds significantly to the column strength of the wire’s distal end region, since compressing the rings in an axial direction requires an axial distortion along the entire length of the sleeve. Another embodiment of the invention is shown at
74 in Figure 6. Here the guidewire sleeve, indicated at 76, is composed of a proximal sleeve section 78 formed of a polymer having a selected flexibility, and a distal sleeve section 79 formed of a more flexible polymer material. By way of example, the proximal and distal sections may be formed of high- and low-density poly¬ ethylene, respectively.
The groove means formed in sleeve 76 includes a series of axial grooves, such as grooves 80 in the proximal sleeve section, and grooves 82 formed in the distal sleeve section. As seen, the latter grooves have increasing axial widths on progressing distally, allowing increasing flexibility through this section of the guide- wire. This feature is gained at the expense of reduced column strength in the distal section, since the rings formed by the grooves do not support column compression except when the guidewire is bent to bring the rings into contact at the inner arc of the bend. This embodiment further illustrates the ability to selectively vary flexi- bility and column strength properties along the length of the distal region of the guidewire by varying (a) flexibi¬ lity of the material forming the sleeve, (b) thickness of the sleeve, and (c) depth and width of the grooves formed in the sleeve. Figure 7 shows a guidewire 84 formed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, and composed of a wire core 86 and a sleeve 88. The groove means in the sleeve includes a plurality of axially spaced grooves, such as grooves 90, which (a) extend about only a portion of the sleeve circumference, (b) are axially misaligned, so that the circumference of the sleeve is not

continuously cut at any axial location, and (c) extend a selected depth through the sleeve, and may be through the entire thickness of the sleeve.
The grooves in the guidewire increase the flexi- bility of the distal end region for the reasons discussed. At the same time, the continuity of sleeve material in an axial direction, which substantially prevents stretching or compression of the sleeve, adds column strength to the wire core. Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown at 92 in Figure 8. A sleeve 94 in this embodiment has inner-surfacegrooves, such as grooves 96, forming a series of inner, axially spaced rings, such as rings 97, which are attached to the wire core, indicated at 98, as by adhesives. The sleeve may be prepared for example by forming an extruded tube about a threaded mandrel, and “unwinding” the mandrel from the tube after hardening. When the sleeve portion of the guide wire is bent, the inner rings of the sleeve accommodate bending by localized deformation due to compression or stretching in a radial direction. This has the effect of reducing the effective bending modulus of the sleeve by reducing the thickness of the sleeve which undergoes bending. At the same time, the ungrooved outer portion of the sleeve contributes to the column strength of the wire in both a straight or bent-wire configuration.
In each of the guidewires described above, the polymer sleeve encasing the wire core includes a sleeve which has (a) a continuous or unbroken polymer expanse, and (b) axially spaced grooves which are effective to increase the bending flexibility of the sleeve. The continuous polymer expanse in the Figure 2-6 embodiments is the inner, ungrooved sleeve portion which forms a continuous expanse in contact with the wire core; in the Figure 7 embodiment, the ungrooved portion of the sleeve?

and in the Figure 8 embodiment, the outer, ungrooved portion of the sleeve.
In each embodiment, the continuous polymer expanse provides a relatively incompressible expanse effective to increase the column strength of the encased distal end portion of the wire core (Figures 2, 4, and 6-8), or a flexible substrate on which a relatively incompressible grooved portion of the sleeve is mounted, for producing the requisite column strength (Figure 5).
B. Guidewire Method
In another aspect the invention includes a method of increasing the column strength in the tapered, reduced diameter distal end section of a catheter guide- wire wire core. The method includes encasing the distal end section of the core in a polymeric sleeve having (a) a substantially continuous planar expanse along its length, and (b) axially spaced grooves disposed along the length of the sleeve for increasing the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, substantially along the length of the sleeve, over the bending flexibility in the absence of the grooves.
A variety of polymer sleeves suitable for use in practicing the invention have been described in Section A above. The sleeve may be secured to a wire core’s distal end region by adhesives, heat shrinking the sleeve on the wire core, or by chemical bonding to a chemically treated core coated surface. Alternatively, the sleeve may be formed on the wire core by dip coating.
The grooves in the sleeve may be formed before or after attachment of the sleeve to the core wire. In a generally preferred method, the sleeve is attached to the core prior to grooving the sleeve. Figure 9 illustrates, in schematic view, a method for forming a helical groove in a sleeve 100

encasing a wire core 102. A machine having a pair of motor-driven chucks which are (a) rotated synchronously, and (b) biased under tension away from one another (in the direction of arrows 105, 107) is suitable for use in the Figure 9 method. The opposite ends of the distal end section of the wire core are supported in the chucks, under tension, and the chucks arerotated at a selected rotational speed, preferably between about 10 and 50 rpm. The direction of rotation is indicated by arrow 106 in the figure.
The sleeve is grooved by a blade 108 which can be positioned (in the direction of arrow 112) a selected distance from the guidewire to a desired depth of cut in the sleeve. The blade, which is also referred to as a cutting tool, is mounted on a carriage 114 for shifting at a selected speed along the axis of the guidewire, as the wire is rotated. The speed of shifting (in the direction of arrow 116) is adjusted to achieve a desired helical pitch in the sleeve. The method of forming a helical groove in a sleeve is suitable for forming the guidewire illustrated in Figure 2.
If a sleeve 119 with an outer portion having axially spaced circumferential grooves of constant depth formed in the sleeve, a cutting configuration like that shown in Figure 10 can be used. The distal end section of a guide wire is supported in synchronously rotating chucks, as described above. A multiple-blade cutting tool 118 having a plurality of blades, such as blades 120, is mounted adjacent the rotating guidewire for shifting in the direction of arrow 122 to a selected cutting depth in the guide wire sleeve. The cutting tool is preferably moved toward the rotating wire incrementally, such that the maximum groove depth is reached only after several guidewire revolutions. The spacing between adjacent blades is adjusted to produce a desired spacing between adjacent grooves in the sleeve.

A method of forming an outer sleeve portion having a bellows-like construction is illustrated in Figure 11. The figure shows the extrusion tip 126 of a polymer-tube extrusion device 128 having an annulus 130 through which polymer material is extruded in molten form. The tip is modified, in accordance with the present application, to include an oscillatory element 132 which oscillates in the direction of arrow 134 as the polymer material is extruded. This oscillation causes extruded material to be alternately and repeatedly compressed and extended, forming the accordion-like surface feature of the tube which is indicated in the figure. After the tube is formed, it is cut into sections and attached to a guidewire core, e.g., by heat shrinking. From the foregoing it can be seen how the various objectives of the present invention can be met. The polymeric expanse in the sleeve is effective to give the tapered wire core region of the guidewire added column strength for advancing the wire through a tortuous path vessel region. When the sleeve is bent, compression of the rings or windings in the sleeve provides continued column strength.
The grooves in the sleeve significantly reduce the bending force required to form sharp bends in the distal region of the wire, by (a) effectively reducing the outer diameter of the sleeve on the outer arc of the turn, and (b) accommodating compression on the inner arc of the turn by radial sliding movement. The tendency of the guidewire to buckle in a region of sharp turn is also reduced by the shifting the windings or turns in the inner arc of the turn to reduce localized compression in the sleeve.
The guidewire can be readily formed from inexpensive polymer tube materials, and the composition of the polymer and groove pattern, depth, and axial width can be selected to achieve desired bending and column strength

properties along the length of the sleeve portion of the guidewire.
The distal end region of the guidewire can be adapted readily for visualization, e.g., in a fluoroscopic procedure, by radio-opaque bands adjacent opposite ends of the guidewire sleeve.

Claims (18)

Claims

1. A guidewire for use with a catheter or the like comprising an elongate wire core having a proximal section and a flexible distal end section which is at least about 3 cm long, and encasing said distal end section, an elongate polymeric sleeve having (a) a substantially continuous planar expanse along its length, and (b) groove means along the length of the sleeve for increasing the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, substantially along the length of the distal end section, over the bending flexibility in the absence of said groove means.

2. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the proximal section of said core has a substantially constant diameter of between about 8-30 mils, and said distal end segment has a reduced, tapered diameter which, at the wire’s distal end, is between about 1-5 mils.

3. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein said poly¬ meric sleeve is formed of a polymer selected from the group consisting of Teflon™, polyurethane, or polyethylene.

4. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes inner and outer sleeve portions which are formed of polymer materials having different flexibilities.

5. The guidewire of claim 4, wherein said inner sleeve portion is formed of low-density polyethylene, and said outer sleeve portion, of Teflon™ or polyurethane.

6. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein said sleeve includes inner and outer sleeve portions, and said groove means is formed in the outer sleeve portion.

7. The guidewire of claim 6, wherein said groove means includes axially spaced circumferential grooves which form a series of axially spaced rings in said outer sleeve portion.

8. The guidewire of claim 6, wherein said inner sleeve portion is formed of an elastomeric material, and said outer grooved portion of the sleeve is formed of a relatively incompressible polymer material.

9. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein said groove means provides greater flexibility on progressing toward the distal end of the sleeve.

10. The guidewire of claim 9, wherein said groove means includes a series of axially spaced grooves which have a greater radial depth on progressing toward the distal end of the wire.

11. The guidewire of claim 9, wherein the poly- mer material forming the polymeric sleeve has a greater flexibility on progressing from the proximal to the distal end of the sleeve.

12. The guidewire of claim 11, wherein said sleeve includes a proximal section formed of a relatively less flexible polymer material,’ and a distal section formed of a relatively more flexible polymer material.

13. The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the distal end section of said core is plated with a radio-opaque material. _2o_

14. A method of increasing the column strength in the tapered, reduced diameter distal end section of a catheter guidewire wire core, comprising encasing said end section in an elongate poly- meric sleeve having (a) a substantially continuous planar expanse along its length, and (b) axially spaced grooves formed along the length of the sleeve for increasing the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, substantially along the length of the distal end section, over the bending flexibility in the absence of said groove means.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said grooves are formed to a depth of more than half the wall thickness of said sleeve.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said sleeve has a inner sleeve portion formed of a relatively soft polymer material, and an outer sleeve portion formed of a relatively rigid polymer material, and said grooves are formed in said outer portion.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the sleeve has a bellows-like construction formed by extruding a polymerictube under conditions of axial oscillation which produces regular and repeated bunching in the extruded tube material.

18. Catheter apparatus comprising a guidewire having (i) an elongate wire having a proximal section and a flexible distal end section which is at least about 3 cm long, and (ii) encasing said distal end section, an elongate polymeric sleeve having (a) a substantially continuous planar expanse along its length, and (b) groove means along the length of the sleeve for increasing the bending flexibility of the sleeve and encased distal end section in substantially any bending direction, substantially along the length of the distal end section, over the bending flexibility in the absence of said groove means.

AU75618/91A
1990-03-19
1991-03-19
Guidewire with flexible distal tip

Ceased

AU651094B2
(en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number
Priority Date
Filing Date
Title

US495567

1990-03-19

US07/495,567

US5095915A
(en)

1990-03-19
1990-03-19
Guidewire with flexible distal tip

PCT/US1991/001853

WO1991014395A1
(en)

1990-03-19
1991-03-19
Guidewire with flexible distal tip

Publications (2)

Publication Number
Publication Date

AU7561891A
true

AU7561891A
(en)

1991-10-21

AU651094B2

AU651094B2
(en)

1994-07-14

Family
ID=23969134
Family Applications (1)

Application Number
Title
Priority Date
Filing Date

AU75618/91A
Ceased

AU651094B2
(en)

1990-03-19
1991-03-19
Guidewire with flexible distal tip

Country Status (6)

Country
Link

US
(2)

US5095915A
(en)

EP
(1)

EP0521091A4
(en)

JP
(1)

JPH05507857A
(en)

AU
(1)

AU651094B2
(en)

CA
(1)

CA2077558A1
(en)

WO
(1)

WO1991014395A1
(en)

Families Citing this family (250)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

JPH06505646A
(en)

1990-11-09
1994-06-30
ボストン　サイエンティフィック　コーポレイション

Guidewire for crossing occlusions in blood vessels

CA2068584C
(en)

1991-06-18
1997-04-22
Paul H. Burmeister
Intravascular guide wire and method for manufacture thereof

US5213111A
(en)

1991-07-10
1993-05-25
Cook Incorporated
Composite wire guide construction

CA2117088A1
(en)

1991-09-05
1993-03-18
David R. Holmes
Flexible tubular device for use in medical applications

US6107004A
(en)

1991-09-05
2000-08-22
Intra Therapeutics, Inc.
Method for making a tubular stent for use in medical applications

US6027863A
(en)

1991-09-05
2000-02-22
Intratherapeutics, Inc.
Method for manufacturing a tubular medical device

US5333620A
(en)

1991-10-30
1994-08-02
C. R. Bard, Inc.
High performance plastic coated medical guidewire

US5253653A
(en)

1991-10-31
1993-10-19
Boston Scientific Corp.
Fluoroscopically viewable guidewire for catheters

US5238005A
(en)

1991-11-18
1993-08-24
Intelliwire, Inc.
Steerable catheter guidewire

US5353808A
(en)

1992-03-04
1994-10-11
Cordis Corporation
Guidewire having distally located marker segment

US7101392B2
(en)

1992-03-31
2006-09-05
Boston Scientific Corporation
Tubular medical endoprostheses

US5251640A
(en)

1992-03-31
1993-10-12
Cook, Incorporated
Composite wire guide shaft

JPH07505316A
(en)

1992-03-31
1995-06-15
ボストン　サイエンティフィック　コーポレーション

medical wire

US6277084B1
(en)

1992-03-31
2001-08-21
Boston Scientific Corporation
Ultrasonic medical device

SE9201295D0
(en)

1992-04-24
1992-04-24
Siemens Elema Ab

CONTROLLABLE ELECTRIC DEVICE

US5259393A
(en)

1992-05-13
1993-11-09
Cordis Corporation
Guidewire having controlled radiopacity tip

US5437288A
(en)

1992-09-04
1995-08-01
Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research
Flexible catheter guidewire

US20050059889A1
(en)

1996-10-16
2005-03-17
Schneider (Usa) Inc., A Minnesota Corporation
Clad composite stent

US5630840A
(en)

1993-01-19
1997-05-20
Schneider (Usa) Inc
Clad composite stent

US5377690A
(en)

1993-02-09
1995-01-03
C. R. Bard, Inc.
Guidewire with round forming wire

US5769796A
(en)

1993-05-11
1998-06-23
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Super-elastic composite guidewire

US5749837A
(en)

1993-05-11
1998-05-12
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Enhanced lubricity guidewire

US5409015A
(en)

1993-05-11
1995-04-25
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Deformable tip super elastic guidewire

US5772609A
(en)

1993-05-11
1998-06-30
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Guidewire with variable flexibility due to polymeric coatings

US7883474B1
(en)

1993-05-11
2011-02-08
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Composite braided guidewire

AU7115294A
(en)

1993-06-24
1995-01-24
Conceptus, Inc.
Guidewire-type device axially moveable by torque or axial force and methods for use thereof

US5443455A
(en)

1993-07-27
1995-08-22
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Guidewire and method of pretreating metal surfaces for subsequent polymer coating

CA2102250A1
(en)

1993-11-02
1995-05-03
Robert S. Schwartz
Flexible catheter guidewire

US6673025B1
(en)

1993-12-01
2004-01-06
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Polymer coated guidewire

US5606981A
(en)

1994-03-11
1997-03-04
C. R. Bard, Inc.
Catheter guidewire with radiopaque markers

US5406960A
(en)

1994-04-13
1995-04-18
Cordis Corporation
Guidewire with integral core and marker bands

US6139510A
(en)

1994-05-11
2000-10-31
Target Therapeutics Inc.
Super elastic alloy guidewire

WO1995034338A1
(en)

1994-06-13
1995-12-21
Phillips Plastics Corporation
Medical guide wire and manufacture

US5497785A
(en)

1994-07-27
1996-03-12
Cordis Corporation
Catheter advancing guidewire and method for making same

AU4242996A
(en)

1994-11-23
1996-06-17
Navarre Biomedical, Ltd.
Flexible catheter

IL116161A0
(en)

1994-11-29
1996-01-31
Target Therapeutics Inc
Lubricious guidewire

US5549580A
(en)

1995-01-23
1996-08-27
Cordis Corporation
Catheter having a flexible distal tip and method of manufacturing

US5664580A
(en)

1995-01-31
1997-09-09
Microvena Corporation
Guidewire having bimetallic coil

JP4408958B2
(en)

1995-02-28
2010-02-03
ボストンサイエンティフィックコーポレーション

Medical instruments

US5724989A
(en)

1995-06-20
1998-03-10
The Microspring Company, Inc.
Radiopaque medical devices

US6059738A
(en)

1995-06-30
2000-05-09
Meadox Medicals, Inc.
Guidewire having a coated tip

US5746701A
(en)

1995-09-14
1998-05-05
Medtronic, Inc.
Guidewire with non-tapered tip

US5722424A
(en)

1995-09-29
1998-03-03
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Multi-coating stainless steel guidewire

US6428489B1
(en)

1995-12-07
2002-08-06
Precision Vascular Systems, Inc.
Guidewire system

CA2192045A1
(en)

1995-12-07
1997-06-08
Stephen C. Jacobsen
Catheter guide wire apparatus

US5833632A
(en)

1995-12-07
1998-11-10
Sarcos, Inc.
Hollow guide wire apparatus catheters

US20030069522A1
(en)

1995-12-07
2003-04-10
Jacobsen Stephen J.
Slotted medical device

US6004279A
(en)

1996-01-16
1999-12-21
Boston Scientific Corporation
Medical guidewire

US6436056B1
(en)

1996-02-28
2002-08-20
Boston Scientific Corporation
Polymeric implements for torque transmission

US5836893A
(en)

1996-03-08
1998-11-17
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Intravascular guidewire

US6488637B1
(en)

1996-04-30
2002-12-03
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Composite endovascular guidewire

US5916194A
(en)

1996-05-24
1999-06-29
Sarcos, Inc.
Catheter/guide wire steering apparatus and method

US5690120A
(en)

1996-05-24
1997-11-25
Sarcos, Inc.
Hybrid catheter guide wire apparatus

US6017319A
(en)

1996-05-24
2000-01-25
Precision Vascular Systems, Inc.
Hybrid tubular guide wire for catheters

US6440088B1
(en)

1996-05-24
2002-08-27
Precision Vascular Systems, Inc.
Hybrid catheter guide wire apparatus and method

US5827201A
(en)

1996-07-26
1998-10-27
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Micro-braided guidewire

US5902254A
(en)

1996-07-29
1999-05-11
The Nemours Foundation
Cathether guidewire

EP1226796B1
(en)

1997-02-03
2005-06-01
Angioguard, Inc.
Vascular filter

US6251086B1
(en)

1999-07-27
2001-06-26
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Guide wire with hydrophilically coated tip

US5924998A
(en)

1997-03-06
1999-07-20
Scimed Life System, Inc.
Guide wire with hydrophilically coated tip

GB9706372D0
(en)

1997-03-27
1997-05-14
Smiths Industries Plc
Medical tube assemblies

US5932877A
(en)

1997-04-17
1999-08-03
Square One Technology, Inc.
High performance side stream infrared gas analyzer

US5895378A
(en)

1997-05-29
1999-04-20
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Flow-directed catheter having multiple tapers and radio-opaque markers

US7455646B2
(en)

1997-06-04
2008-11-25
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Polymer coated guide wire

US7494474B2
(en)

1997-06-04
2009-02-24
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Polymer coated guidewire

US6231565B1
(en)

1997-06-18
2001-05-15
United States Surgical Corporation
Robotic arm DLUs for performing surgical tasks

US6132388A
(en)

1997-10-16
2000-10-17
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Guide wire tip

US6093157A
(en)

1997-10-22
2000-07-25
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Radiopaque guide wire

US6106485A
(en)

1997-11-18
2000-08-22
Advanced Cardivascular Systems, Inc.
Guidewire with shaped intermediate portion

US6273876B1
(en)

1997-12-05
2001-08-14
Intratherapeutics, Inc.
Catheter segments having circumferential supports with axial projection

US6110164A
(en)

1997-12-05
2000-08-29
Intratherapeutics, Inc.
Guideless catheter segment

US6340441B1
(en)

1998-03-13
2002-01-22
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Multi-layer guide wire and method of manufacture therefor

US6001117A
(en)

1998-03-19
1999-12-14
Indigo Medical, Inc.
Bellows medical construct and apparatus and method for using same

US6033413A
(en)

1998-04-20
2000-03-07
Endocare, Inc.
Stent delivery system

US6547779B2
(en)

1998-07-22
2003-04-15
Endovasix, Inc.
Flexible flow apparatus and method for the disruption of occlusions

US6440124B1
(en)

1998-07-22
2002-08-27
Endovasix, Inc.
Flexible flow apparatus and method for the disruption of occlusions

US6210400B1
(en)

1998-07-22
2001-04-03
Endovasix, Inc.
Flexible flow apparatus and method for the disruption of occlusions

US6139543A
(en)

1998-07-22
2000-10-31
Endovasix, Inc.
Flow apparatus for the disruption of occlusions

US6340368B1
(en)

1998-10-23
2002-01-22
Medtronic Inc.
Implantable device with radiopaque ends

US6361557B1
(en)

1999-02-05
2002-03-26
Medtronic Ave, Inc.
Staplebutton radiopaque marker

US6991641B2
(en)

1999-02-12
2006-01-31
Cordis Corporation
Low profile vascular filter system

US20020138094A1
(en)

1999-02-12
2002-09-26
Thomas Borillo
Vascular filter system

US7229463B2
(en)

1999-07-30
2007-06-12
Angioguard, Inc.
Vascular filter system for cardiopulmonary bypass

US7229462B2
(en)

1999-07-30
2007-06-12
Angioguard, Inc.
Vascular filter system for carotid endarterectomy

DE19952416C1
(en)

1999-10-30
2001-02-22
Binder Gottlieb Gmbh & Co
Production of flexible plastics profile strip for system for fixing cushion cover to foam cushion has slip restrainer of softer plastics material on outside

US6702802B1
(en)

1999-11-10
2004-03-09
Endovascular Technologies, Inc.
Catheters with improved transition

US6579246B2
(en)

1999-12-22
2003-06-17
Sarcos, Lc
Coronary guidewire system

US20040082879A1
(en)

2000-01-28
2004-04-29
Klint Henrik S.
Endovascular medical device with plurality of wires

EP3006062A1
(en)

2000-08-24
2016-04-13
Cordis Corporation
Fluid delivery systems for delivering fluids to multi-lumen catheters

AU2434501A
(en)

2000-09-07
2002-03-22
Sherwood Serv Ag
Apparatus for and treatment of the intervertebral disc

US20020072737A1
(en)

2000-12-08
2002-06-13
Medtronic, Inc.
System and method for placing a medical electrical lead

US6510348B2
(en)

2000-12-20
2003-01-21
Medtronic, Inc.
Perfusion lead and method of use

US6554942B2
(en)

2000-12-28
2003-04-29
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Method of manufacturing a guidewire with an extrusion jacket

US6579302B2
(en)

2001-03-06
2003-06-17
Cordis Corporation
Total occlusion guidewire device

US6428559B1
(en)

2001-04-03
2002-08-06
Cordis Corporation
Removable, variable-diameter vascular filter system

US6575920B2
(en)

2001-05-30
2003-06-10
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Distal tip portion for a guide wire

US7329223B1
(en)

2001-05-31
2008-02-12
Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
Catheter with optical fiber sensor

US7532920B1
(en)

2001-05-31
2009-05-12
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Guidewire with optical fiber

US6596011B2
(en)

2001-06-12
2003-07-22
Cordis Corporation
Emboli extraction catheter and vascular filter system

EP1406536A4
(en)

2001-06-20
2005-09-21
Microvention Inc
Medical devices having full or partial polymer coatings and their methods of manufacture

US6962598B2
(en)

2001-07-02
2005-11-08
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Methods, systems, and devices for providing embolic protection

US6878153B2
(en)

2001-07-02
2005-04-12
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Methods, systems, and devices for providing embolic protection and removing embolic material

US6951570B2
(en)

2001-07-02
2005-10-04
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Methods, systems, and devices for deploying a filter from a filter device

US6997939B2
(en)

2001-07-02
2006-02-14
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Methods, systems, and devices for deploying an embolic protection filter

JP4257199B2
(en)

2001-07-05
2009-04-22
プリシジョンバスキュラーシステムズ，インコーポレイテッド

Soft tip medical device capable of torsion

US6656203B2
(en)

2001-07-18
2003-12-02
Cordis Corporation
Integral vascular filter system

US20030060842A1
(en)

2001-09-27
2003-03-27
Yem Chin
Method and apparatus for measuring and controlling blade depth of a tissue cutting apparatus in an endoscopic catheter

US20030060843A1
(en)

2001-09-27
2003-03-27
Don Boucher
Vascular filter system with encapsulated filter

EP1338298B1
(en)

2001-10-25
2006-12-06
Nipro Corporation
Guide wire

US6652508B2
(en)

2001-11-09
2003-11-25
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Intravascular microcatheter having hypotube proximal shaft with transition

US6832715B2
(en)

2001-12-03
2004-12-21
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Guidewire distal tip soldering method

US6682493B2
(en)

2001-12-03
2004-01-27
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
High torque guidewire

US7670302B2
(en)

2001-12-18
2010-03-02
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Super elastic guidewire with shape retention tip

US7488338B2
(en)

2001-12-27
2009-02-10
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Catheter having an improved torque transmitting shaft

US7294124B2
(en)

2001-12-28
2007-11-13
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Hypotube with improved strain relief

US6958074B2
(en)

2002-01-07
2005-10-25
Cordis Corporation
Releasable and retrievable vascular filter system

US7163655B2
(en)

2002-03-28
2007-01-16
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Method and apparatus for extruding polymers employing microwave energy

US20040147903A1
(en)

2002-04-05
2004-07-29
Lucas Latini
Microcatheter having tip relief region

US7914467B2
(en)

2002-07-25
2011-03-29
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Tubular member having tapered transition for use in a medical device

JP4602080B2
(en)

2002-07-25
2010-12-22
ボストンサイエンティフィックリミテッド

Medical devices that travel through the human body structure

US7901407B2
(en)

2002-08-02
2011-03-08
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Media delivery device for bone structures

US7331973B2
(en)

2002-09-30
2008-02-19
Avdanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Guide wire with embolic filtering attachment

DE60329228D1
(en)

2002-12-20
2009-10-22
Brivant Res & Dev Ltd

GUIDE WIRE FOR USE WITH A CATHETER

US8377035B2
(en)

2003-01-17
2013-02-19
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Unbalanced reinforcement members for medical device

US20040153006A1
(en)

2003-02-03
2004-08-05
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Intracorporeal devices with ionomeric polymer sleeves

US7044921B2
(en)

2003-02-03
2006-05-16
Scimed Life Systems, Inc
Medical device with changeable tip flexibility

US7169118B2
(en)

2003-02-26
2007-01-30
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Elongate medical device with distal cap

US20040167437A1
(en)

2003-02-26
2004-08-26
Sharrow James S.
Articulating intracorporal medical device

US7001369B2
(en)

2003-03-27
2006-02-21
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Medical device

US20040220612A1
(en)

2003-04-30
2004-11-04
Swainston Kyle W
Slidable capture catheter

US7780611B2
(en)

2003-05-01
2010-08-24
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical instrument with controlled torque transmission

US7758520B2
(en)

2003-05-27
2010-07-20
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device having segmented construction

US7699865B2
(en)

2003-09-12
2010-04-20
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Actuating constraining mechanism

US8535344B2
(en)

2003-09-12
2013-09-17
Rubicon Medical, Inc.
Methods, systems, and devices for providing embolic protection and removing embolic material

US7785273B2
(en)

2003-09-22
2010-08-31
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewire with reinforcing member

US20050096665A1
(en)

2003-10-30
2005-05-05
Scimed Life Systems, Inc.
Guidewire having a helically contoured portion

US7553287B2
(en)

2003-10-30
2009-06-30
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewire having an embedded matrix polymer

US20050131316A1
(en)

2003-12-15
2005-06-16
Cook Incorporated
Guidewire with flexible tip

US7824345B2
(en)

2003-12-22
2010-11-02
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device with push force limiter

AU2005206767B2
(en)

2004-01-09
2009-09-17
Corazon Technologies, Inc.
Multilumen catheters and methods for their use

JP2005329062A
(en)

2004-05-20
2005-12-02
Terumo Corp
Introducer sheath

US20060004346A1
(en)

2004-06-17
2006-01-05
Begg John D
Bend relief

WO2006044059A2
(en)

2004-09-11
2006-04-27
The Board Of Trustees Of The Leland Stanford Junior University
Method and apparatus for modeling the modal properties of optical waveguides

US20060064145A1
(en)

2004-09-21
2006-03-23
Podhajsky Ronald J
Method for treatment of an intervertebral disc

US20100145424A1
(en)

2004-09-21
2010-06-10
Covidien Ag
Method for Treatment of an Intervertebral Disc

US20060224219A1
(en)

2005-03-31
2006-10-05
Sherwood Services Ag
Method of using neural stimulation during nucleoplasty procedures

JP5580802B2
(en)

2004-11-01
2014-08-27
テルモ株式会社

Medical guidewire

JP4907945B2
(en)

2004-11-01
2012-04-04
テルモ株式会社

Medical guidewire

EP1656963B1
(en)

2004-11-10
2007-11-21
Creganna Technologies Limited
Stent delivery catheter assembly

US7632242B2
(en)

2004-12-09
2009-12-15
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Catheter including a compliant balloon

US7828832B2
(en)

2005-04-18
2010-11-09
Medtronic Vascular, Inc.
Intravascular deployment device with improved deployment capability

US20060264904A1
(en)

2005-05-09
2006-11-23
Kerby Walter L
Medical device

US9445784B2
(en)

2005-09-22
2016-09-20
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc
Intravascular ultrasound catheter

US20070083132A1
(en)

2005-10-11
2007-04-12
Sharrow James S
Medical device coil

US7850623B2
(en)

2005-10-27
2010-12-14
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Elongate medical device with continuous reinforcement member

US8876772B2
(en)

2005-11-16
2014-11-04
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Variable stiffness shaft

US20070118151A1
(en)

2005-11-21
2007-05-24
The Brigham And Women’s Hospital, Inc.
Percutaneous cardiac valve repair with adjustable artificial chordae

US8292827B2
(en)

2005-12-12
2012-10-23
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Micromachined medical devices

US20070135732A1
(en)

2005-12-13
2007-06-14
Cook Incorporated
Flexible mandril

US20070208405A1
(en)

2006-03-06
2007-09-06
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Stent delivery catheter

US20080114435A1
(en)

2006-03-07
2008-05-15
Med Institute, Inc.
Flexible delivery system

US7579550B2
(en)

2006-03-31
2009-08-25
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Flexible device shaft with angled spiral wrap

US20100030251A1
(en)

2006-05-24
2010-02-04
Mayo Foundation For Medical Education And Research
Devices and methods for crossing chronic total occlusions

US8419658B2
(en)

2006-09-06
2013-04-16
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device including structure for crossing an occlusion in a vessel

EP2079506B1
(en)

2006-09-13
2016-05-25
Boston Scientific Limited
Crossing guidewire

US9339632B2
(en)

2006-09-27
2016-05-17
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Catheter shaft designs

US8556914B2
(en)

2006-12-15
2013-10-15
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device including structure for crossing an occlusion in a vessel

JP2008245852A
(en)

2007-03-29
2008-10-16
Terumo Corp
Guide wire

US20080262474A1
(en)

2007-04-20
2008-10-23
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device

US9387308B2
(en)

2007-04-23
2016-07-12
Cardioguidance Biomedical, Llc
Guidewire with adjustable stiffness

EP2146769A1
(en)

2007-04-23
2010-01-27
Interventional & Surgical Innovations, LLC
Guidewire with adjustable stiffness

US7981148B2
(en)

2007-05-16
2011-07-19
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Stent delivery catheter

US8409114B2
(en)

2007-08-02
2013-04-02
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Composite elongate medical device including distal tubular member

US20090036832A1
(en)

2007-08-03
2009-02-05
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewires and methods for manufacturing guidewires

US8105246B2
(en)

2007-08-03
2012-01-31
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Elongate medical device having enhanced torque and methods thereof

US20090043228A1
(en)

2007-08-06
2009-02-12
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Laser shock peening of medical devices

US8821477B2
(en)

2007-08-06
2014-09-02
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Alternative micromachined structures

US9808595B2
(en)

2007-08-07
2017-11-07
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc
Microfabricated catheter with improved bonding structure

US20090118704A1
(en)

2007-11-02
2009-05-07
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Interconnected ribbon coils, medical devices including an interconnected ribbon coil, and methods for manufacturing an interconnected ribbon coil

US20090118675A1
(en)

2007-11-02
2009-05-07
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Elongate medical device with a shapeable tip

US7841994B2
(en)

2007-11-02
2010-11-30
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device for crossing an occlusion in a vessel

US20090157048A1
(en)

2007-12-18
2009-06-18
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Spiral cut hypotube

US8460213B2
(en)

2008-01-03
2013-06-11
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Cut tubular members for a medical device and methods for making and using the same

US8376961B2
(en)

2008-04-07
2013-02-19
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Micromachined composite guidewire structure with anisotropic bending properties

US8002715B2
(en)

2008-05-30
2011-08-23
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device including a polymer sleeve and a coil wound into the polymer sleeve

JP5147569B2
(en)

2008-06-30
2013-02-20
テルモ株式会社

Guide wire

US8535243B2
(en)

2008-09-10
2013-09-17
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical devices and tapered tubular members for use in medical devices

US20100063479A1
(en)

2008-09-10
2010-03-11
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Small profile, tubular component design and method of manufacture

US11406791B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2022-08-09
Scientia Vascular, Inc.
Micro-fabricated guidewire devices having varying diameters

US8468919B2
(en)

2008-12-08
2013-06-25
Next Vascular, Llc
Micro-cutting machine for forming cuts in products

US10363389B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2019-07-30
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated guidewire devices having varying diameters

US8795254B2
(en)

2008-12-10
2014-08-05
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical devices with a slotted tubular member having improved stress distribution

US8444669B2
(en)

2008-12-15
2013-05-21
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Embolic filter delivery system and method

US20100152711A1
(en)

2008-12-15
2010-06-17
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Offset coupling region

US9011511B2
(en)

2009-02-20
2015-04-21
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Balloon catheter

WO2010096712A1
(en)

2009-02-20
2010-08-26
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Torqueable balloon catheter

US8057430B2
(en)

2009-02-20
2011-11-15
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Catheter with skived tubular member

US9072873B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2015-07-07
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated guidewire devices having elastomeric compositions

US9067333B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2015-06-30
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated guidewire devices having elastomeric fill compositions

US9950137B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2018-04-24
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated guidewire devices formed with hybrid materials

US20100256603A1
(en)

2009-04-03
2010-10-07
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated Catheter Devices Formed Having Elastomeric Fill Compositions

US9616195B2
(en)

2009-04-03
2017-04-11
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated catheter devices having varying diameters

US20100256604A1
(en)

2009-04-03
2010-10-07
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Micro-fabricated Catheter Devices Formed Having Elastomeric Compositions

JP5347907B2
(en)

2009-10-29
2013-11-20
豊田合成株式会社

Method for extruding tube body and apparatus for extruding tube body

US8137293B2
(en)

2009-11-17
2012-03-20
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewires including a porous nickel-titanium alloy

CN102145202B
(en)

2010-02-05
2012-12-26
微创医疗器械(上海)有限公司
Medical guide wire

US8551021B2
(en)

2010-03-31
2013-10-08
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewire with an improved flexural rigidity profile

JP5956335B2
(en)

2010-06-30
2016-07-27
テルモ株式会社

catheter

US9017246B2
(en)

2010-11-19
2015-04-28
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Biliary catheter systems including stabilizing members

EP2670470B1
(en)

2011-02-04
2019-04-24
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewires

US9072874B2
(en)

2011-05-13
2015-07-07
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical devices with a heat transfer region and a heat sink region and methods for manufacturing medical devices

EP2768568B1
(en)

2011-10-18
2020-05-06
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Integrated crossing balloon catheter

US8876848B2
(en)

2012-06-06
2014-11-04
Stewart And Stien Enterprises, Llc
Dilator and elongate guide wire and method of using same

JP5780557B2
(en)

2012-08-27
2015-09-16
朝日インテック株式会社

Guide wire with sensor

WO2014164357A1
(en)

2013-03-11
2014-10-09
Microvention, Inc.
Implantable device with adhesive properties

US20140276117A1
(en)

2013-03-15
2014-09-18
Volcano Corporation
Intravascular Devices, Systems, and Methods

US9981109B2
(en)

2013-03-15
2018-05-29
Corindus, Inc.
Guide wire or working catheter with modified drive surface

US9901706B2
(en)

2014-04-11
2018-02-27
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Catheters and catheter shafts

US10588642B2
(en)

2014-05-15
2020-03-17
Gauthier Biomedical, Inc.
Molding process and products formed thereby

US10159486B2
(en)

2014-05-21
2018-12-25
The Regents Of The University Of Michigan
Fenestrated decoupling system for internal selective attachment to soft tissue organs

US10117738B2
(en)

2015-01-23
2018-11-06
The Regents Of The University Of Michigan
Atraumatic tip geometry for indwelling devices

EP3247448A4
(en)

2015-01-23
2019-09-18
The Regents of The University of Michigan
Atraumatic tip geometry for indwelling devices

EP3248643B1
(en)

2015-01-23
2023-08-16
Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
Guide wire

US20160263354A1
(en)

2015-03-12
2016-09-15
Cook Medical Technologies Llc
Flexible hybrid wire guide

CN107529989B
(en)

2015-04-14
2023-08-04
皇家飞利浦有限公司
Intravascular devices, systems, and methods of formation

EP3295883B1
(en)

2015-05-13
2023-10-18
Shanghai Golden Leaf Med Tec Co., Ltd.
Corrugated radiofrequency ablation catheter and apparatus thereof

US11351048B2
(en)

2015-11-16
2022-06-07
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Stent delivery systems with a reinforced deployment sheath

US9918705B2
(en)

2016-07-07
2018-03-20
Brian Giles
Medical devices with distal control

US10391274B2
(en)

2016-07-07
2019-08-27
Brian Giles
Medical device with distal torque control

US11207502B2
(en)

2016-07-18
2021-12-28
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Guidewire devices having shapeable tips and bypass cuts

US11052228B2
(en)

2016-07-18
2021-07-06
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Guidewire devices having shapeable tips and bypass cuts

US10821268B2
(en)

2016-09-14
2020-11-03
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Integrated coil vascular devices

CN110177594B
(en)

2016-11-22
2022-07-29
波士顿科学国际有限公司
Compression and/or tension resistant medical device shaft

US11452541B2
(en)

2016-12-22
2022-09-27
Scientia Vascular, Inc.
Intravascular device having a selectively deflectable tip

WO2018129455A1
(en)

2017-01-09
2018-07-12
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Guidewire with tactile feel

DE102017101190A1
(en)

2017-01-23
2018-07-26
Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

Multifunctional medical probe

JP2020054411A
(en)

2017-02-08
2020-04-09
テルモ株式会社
Guide wire

EP3595595A1
(en)

2017-03-14
2020-01-22
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device shaft including a liner

CN110621263B
(en)

2017-03-14
2021-10-22
波士顿科学国际有限公司
Medical device with internal components

US11013889B2
(en)

2017-05-03
2021-05-25
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device with sealing assembly

JP2020521552A
(en)

2017-05-26
2020-07-27
サイエンティア・バスキュラー・エルエルシー

Microfabricated medical device with non-helical cut array

US11305095B2
(en)

2018-02-22
2022-04-19
Scientia Vascular, Llc
Microfabricated catheter having an intermediate preferred bending section

JP7059399B2
(en)

2018-04-26
2022-04-25
ボストンサイエンティフィックサイムド，インコーポレイテッド

Medical device with nested seal assembly

EP3784171A1
(en)

2018-04-26
2021-03-03
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device with coupling member

JP2021521965A
(en)

2018-04-26
2021-08-30
ボストンサイエンティフィックサイムド，インコーポレイテッドＢｏｓｔｏｎＳｃｉｅｎｔｉｆｉｃＳｃｉｍｅｄ，Ｉｎｃ．

Electric telescope medical device delivery system

US11452533B2
(en)

2019-01-10
2022-09-27
Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Inc.
Guide wire tip having roughened surface

CN109833556A
(en)

2019-03-13
2019-06-04
业聚医疗器械(深圳)有限公司
A kind of tip for foley’s tube

US11723767B2
(en)

2019-08-15
2023-08-15
Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
Medical device including attachable tip member

EP4117760A1
(en)

2020-03-11
2023-01-18
Stryker Corporation
Slotted medical devices with fillers

US20230292997A1
(en)

2022-03-17
2023-09-21
Bard Access Systems, Inc.
Fiber Optic Medical Systems and Devices with Atraumatic Tip

Family Cites Families (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party

Publication number
Priority date
Publication date
Assignee
Title

US1035931A
(en)

1910-03-07
1912-08-20
Albert Ernest Woodhouse
Bendable inclosing casing.

US1813039A
(en)

1929-03-27
1931-07-07
Escol Jules
Protecting sheath for electric wires

US2248934A
(en)

1937-12-24
1941-07-15
Davol Rubber Co
Inflatable catheter

US2437542A
(en)

1944-05-05
1948-03-09
American Catheter Corp
Catheter-type instrument

US3789841A
(en)

1971-09-15
1974-02-05
Becton Dickinson Co
Disposable guide wire

GB1429691A
(en)

1972-07-29
1976-03-24
Furukawa Electric Co Ltd
Method and apparatus for forming a covering on an elongate core member

FR2247262A2
(en)

1972-11-02
1975-05-09
Technological Supply
Catheter tube for long-term intravenous therapy – silicone elastomer tube has non-binding supporting mandrel

US3832253A
(en)

1973-03-21
1974-08-27
Baxter Laboratories Inc
Method of making an inflatable balloon catheter

DE2505542C3
(en)

1975-02-10
1978-12-14
Continental Gummi-Werke Ag, 3000 Hannover

Pleated cuff

US3973556A
(en)

1975-06-20
1976-08-10
Lake Region Manufacturing Company, Inc.
Smoothened coil spring wire guide

US4251305A
(en)

1978-11-01
1981-02-17
Baxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
Method of radiant heat sealing of a balloon onto a catheter employing tinted shrink tubing

US4403985A
(en)

1981-05-12
1983-09-13
The United States Of America As Represented By The Department Of Health And Human Services
Jet controlled catheter

US4690175A
(en)

1981-11-17
1987-09-01
Kabushiki Kaisha Medos Kenkyusho
Flexible tube for endoscope

US4545390A
(en)

1982-09-22
1985-10-08
C. R. Bard, Inc.
Steerable guide wire for balloon dilatation procedure

US4636346A
(en)

1984-03-08
1987-01-13
Cordis Corporation
Preparing guiding catheter

US4753765A
(en)

1984-03-08
1988-06-28
Cordis Corporation
Method of making a catheter having a fuseless tip

US4619274A
(en)

1985-04-18
1986-10-28
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Torsional guide wire with attenuated diameter

CH667208A5
(en)

1985-11-21
1988-09-30
Sarcem Sa

REMOTE CONTROL CATHETER-GUIDE.

US4748986A
(en)

1985-11-26
1988-06-07
Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
Floppy guide wire with opaque tip

US4655746A
(en)

1985-12-02
1987-04-07
Target Therapeutics
Catheter device

US4739768B2
(en)

1986-06-02
1995-10-24
Target Therapeutics Inc
Catheter for guide-wire tracking

SE454045B
(en)

1986-08-04
1988-03-28
Radisensor Ab

LEADER FOR MECHANICAL CONTROL OF A CATHETIC DURING HEART AND KERL SURGERY

US5171383A
(en)

1987-01-07
1992-12-15
Terumo Kabushiki Kaisha
Method of manufacturing a differentially heat treated catheter guide wire

US4874373A
(en)

1987-03-03
1989-10-17
Luther Ronald B
Dip formed catheter and assembly

US4813934A
(en)

1987-08-07
1989-03-21
Target Therapeutics
Valved catheter device and method

US4884579A
(en)

1988-04-18
1989-12-05
Target Therapeutics
Catheter guide wire

US4955862A
(en)

1989-05-22
1990-09-11
Target Therapeutics, Inc.
Catheter and catheter/guide wire device

1990

1990-03-19
US
US07/495,567
patent/US5095915A/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

1991

1991-03-19
EP
EP19910907117
patent/EP0521091A4/en
not_active
Ceased

1991-03-19
AU
AU75618/91A
patent/AU651094B2/en
not_active
Ceased

1991-03-19
WO
PCT/US1991/001853
patent/WO1991014395A1/en
not_active
Application Discontinuation

1991-03-19
JP
JP91506624A
patent/JPH05507857A/en
active
Pending

1991-03-19
CA
CA002077558A
patent/CA2077558A1/en
not_active
Abandoned

1994

1994-12-16
US
US08/357,975
patent/US5599492A/en
not_active
Expired – Lifetime

Also Published As

Publication number
Publication date

WO1991014395A1
(en)

1991-10-03

US5095915A
(en)

1992-03-17

JPH05507857A
(en)

1993-11-11

CA2077558A1
(en)

1991-09-20

EP0521091A4
(en)

1993-06-30

AU651094B2
(en)

1994-07-14

EP0521091A1
(en)

1993-01-07

US5599492A
(en)

1997-02-04

Contact information