Variable Stiffness Guidewire Systems
AssigneeWright-Ahn Technologies, LLC
InventorsJay Ralph Wright, Samuel Seunghae Ahn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable-stiffness guidewire system which comprises an elongated flexible guidewire. The guidewire has a body and a tensioning head coupled to the body. The tensioning head is slidably moveable with respect to a guidewire collar coupled to the body via a tensioning wire to adjust a stiffness of the guidewire. The guidewire includes one or more protrusions within a conduit of the guidewire collar which applies a frictional force to the tensioning wire to maintain the tensioning head a desired distance from the collar, thereby maintaining the desired stiffness in the guidewire. A tool can be utilized with the guidewire to engage the guidewire head and move the guidewire head a desired distance from the guidewire collar to achieve a desired stiffness.
Claims20
A variable-stiffness guidewire assembly comprising:
- an elongated flexible guidewire, the guidewire having a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the guidewire including a tensioning wire having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the distal end of the body, the guidewire including a tension head coupled to the second end of the tensioning wire, wherein the tensioning wire is longitudinally movable with respect to the body to adjust a stiffness of the guidewire, the guidewire including a collar located at the proximal end of the guidewire, the collar including at least one protrusion within which applies a frictional force onto the tensioning wire to maintain the tension head at a desired distance with respect to the guidewire;
- and
- a tool configured to receive and secure the tensioning head and the collar within, the tool including a main body and an actuator in longitudinal communication with the main body, wherein the actuator is longitudinally moveable with respect to the main body to move the tensioning head a desired distance with respect to the collar to achieve a desired stiffness in the guidewire.
A variable-stiffness guidewire comprising:
- an elongated flexible guidewire body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a tensioning wire positioned at least partially within the body, the tensioning wire having a first end mounted to the distal end of the body and a second end having a head attached thereto, the tensioning wire longitudinally movable with respect to the guidewire body to adjust a stiffness of the guidewire;
- and
- a collar coupled to the guidewire body and located between the distal and proximal ends, the collar including a conduit through which the tensioning wire passes, the collar including one or more protrusions within the conduit, wherein the one or more protrusions apply a frictional force onto the tensioning wire to maintain a desired stiffness in the guidewire.
A tool for use with a variable-stiffness guidewire, the tool comprising:
- a cylindrical main body having a first end and a second end, the main body having an aperture at the first end to receive a portion of a guidewire, the main body having a first securing feature to grasp a collar of the guidewire within;
- and
- an actuator coupled to the main body at the second end and moveable along a longitudinal axis with respect to the main body between a non-extended position and an extended position, the actuator having a second securing feature to grasp a tension head of the guidewire within, wherein the tool increases stiffness of the guidewire by moving the actuator from the non-extended position to the extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.