# US 12,109,376 B2 · Guidewire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,376 B2 - Document ID: US12109376B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/371,659 - Filed: 2023-09-22 - Published: 2024-01-11 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-25 - Assignees: C. R. Bard, Inc. - Applicants: C.R. Bard, Inc. - Inventors: Salvatore Privitera - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109376B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/09: Guide wires - A61M 2025/09083: {having a coil around a core} - A61M 2025/09108: {Methods for making a guide wire} - A61M 2025/09133: {having specific material compositions or coatings; Materials with specific mechanical behaviours, e.g. stiffness, strength to transmit torque} - A61M 2025/09166: {having radio-opaque features} - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract A guidewire comprising a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a core and a metal coil along a longitudinal length of the hydrophilic surface coating to form a distal closed tip, the metal coil circumscribing the core along a predetermined length, the core extending longitudinally beyond the metal coil in both a proximal direction and a distal direction, wherein a proximal section of the guidewire includes a hydrophobic surface coating. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of using a guidewire comprising: (a) inserting a distal closed tip of a guidewire into a bodily lumen, the guidewire comprising a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a core and a metal coil along a longitudinal length of the hydrophilic surface coating to form the distal closed tip, the metal coil circumscribing the core along a predetermined length, the core extending longitudinally beyond the metal coil in both a proximal direction and a distal direction, wherein a proximal section of the guidewire includes a hydrophobic surface coating; (b) repositioning the guidewire within the bodily lumen to reach an end location for the distal closed tip while receiving real-time images from a radiation imager that depict a relative location of the distal closed tip with respect to a section of the bodily lumen; (c) inserting a medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following a path established by the guidewire; and, (d) withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post insertion of the medical instrument. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteroscope into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: inserting the ureteroscope into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteroscope over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post insertion of the medical instrument includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteroscope and from the ureter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteral access sheath into the ureter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: inserting the ureteral access sheath into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteral access sheath over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post insertion of the medical instrument includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteral access sheath and from the ureter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: inserting the ureteral stent into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteral stent over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post insertion of the medical instrument includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteral stent and from the ureter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteral stent into the ureter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a blood vessel; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a catheter into the blood vessel. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein: inserting the catheter into the blood vessel and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the catheter over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post insertion of the medical instrument includes withdrawing the guide wire through the catheter and from the blood vessel. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising: (e) repositioning the medical instrument within the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire to reach a procedure location; and, (f) carrying out a medical procedure using the medical instrument proximate the procedure location; wherein: the catheter comprises a balloon catheter; and, carrying out the medical procedure using the medical instrument includes carrying out an angioplasty using the balloon catheter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: (e) repositioning the medical instrument within the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire to reach a procedure location; and, (f) carrying out a medical procedure using the medical instrument proximate the procedure location. ### Claim 12 A method of using a guidewire comprising: (a) inserting a distal closed tip of a guidewire into a bodily lumen, the guidewire comprising a hydrophilic surface coating encasing a majority length of the guidewire, the guidewire also including a metal coil free floating with respect to a core along the majority length of the guidewire, where the core extends longitudinally beyond the metal coil in both a proximal direction and a distal direction, wherein a proximal section of the guidewire includes a hydrophobic surface coating over a minority length of the core; (b) repositioning the guidewire within the bodily lumen until the distal closed tip reaches an end location; (c) inserting a medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following a path established by the guidewire to reach a procedure location; and, (d) withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post the medical instrument reaching the procedure location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein repositioning the guidewire within the bodily lumen until the distal closed tip reaches the end location includes receiving real-time images from a radiation imager that depict a relative location of the distal closed tip with respect to a section of the bodily lumen. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteroscope into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein: inserting the ureteroscope into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteroscope over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post the medical instrument reaching the procedure location includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteroscope and from the ureter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteral access sheath into the ureter. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein: inserting the ureteral access sheath into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteral access sheath over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post the medical instrument reaching the procedure location includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteral access sheath and from the ureter. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a ureter; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a ureteral stent into the ureter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein: inserting the ureteral stent into the ureter and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the ureteral stent over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post the medical instrument reaching the procedure location includes withdrawing the guide wire through the ureteral stent and from the ureter. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein: the bodily lumen comprises a blood vessel; and, inserting the medical instrument into the bodily lumen and following the path established by the guidewire includes inserting a catheter into the blood vessel. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein: inserting the catheter into the blood vessel and following the path established by the guidewire includes threading the catheter over the guidewire; and, withdrawing the guidewire from the bodily lumen post the medical instrument reaching the procedure location includes withdrawing the guide wire through the catheter and from the blood vessel. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the catheter comprises a balloon catheter, the method further comprising carrying out an angioplasty proximate the procedure location using the balloon catheter.