# US 2026/0157782 A1 · Ablation catheter guidewire > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0157782 A1 - Document ID: US20260157782A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/127,151 - Filed: 2023-11-07 - Published: 2026-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2022-11-08 - Assignees: Medtronic, Inc. - Applicants: Medtronic, Inc. - Inventors: Mark T. Stewart; Timothy G. Laske; Richard J. Olson; Daniel C. Sigg; Lars M. Mattison - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260157782A1 ## CPC - A61B 18/00: Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body (eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00) - A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)} - A61B 90/39: {Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers} - A61M 25/09: Guide wires - A61B 5/6851: {Guide wires} - A61B 2018/00077: {high, i.e. electrically conducting} - A61B 2018/00083: {low, i.e. electrically insulating} - A61B 2018/00178: {Electrical connectors} - A61B 2018/00351: {Heart} - A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation} - A61B 2018/00613: {Irreversible electroporation} - A61B 2018/00839: {Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG} - A61B 2090/3966: {Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image} - A61M 2025/09075: {having a core without a coil possibly combined with a sheath} - 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 2025/09175: {having specific characteristics at the distal tip} - A61M 2205/0233: Conductive materials, e.g. antistatic coatings for spark prevention - A61M 2205/32: with radio-opaque indicia - A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production - A61M 2230/04: Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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 includes a core member including a proximal portion having a first stiffness and a distal portion having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness. The guidewire further includes an electrical insulator encapsulating the distal portion of the core member and at least a portion of the proximal portion of the core member. The electrical insulator comprises a material configured to electrically insulate the core member from pulsed field ablation (PFA) energy delivered by a PFA catheter guided by the guidewire. The guidewire further includes electrode positioned along the distal portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A guidewire comprising: a core member comprising: a proximal portion having a first stiffness; and a distal portion having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness; an electrical insulator encapsulating the distal portion of the core member and at least a portion of the proximal portion of the core member, wherein the electrical insulator comprises a material configured to electrically insulate the core member from pulsed field ablation (PFA) energy delivered by a PFA catheter guided by the guidewire; and an electrode positioned along the distal portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the core member further comprises: a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the transition portion tapers in stiffness from the first stiffness to the second stiffness. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The guidewire of claim 2, wherein the guidewire further comprises a second electrode positioned along the transition portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, further comprising: an electrically insulating jacket surrounding the electrical insulator and configured to house a signal wire, wherein the signal wire is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The guidewire of claim 4, wherein the electrical insulator is comprised of parylene, wherein the electrically insulating jacket is comprises of at least one of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the electrical insulator is configured to electrically isolate the core member from PFA energy delivered by the PFA catheter having a voltage of at least 1,500 volts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, further comprising a navigation coil positioned along the distal portion. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the electrode is configured to sense an intracardiac electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the electrode is radiopaque. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the electrode is configured to deliver a high voltage pulsed electric field, and wherein a surface of the electrode comprises a high surface area conductive surface comprising at least one of titanium nitride or tantalum nitride. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein the core member comprises a polymeric stiffening structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The guidewire of claim 11, wherein the polymeric stiffening structure comprises at least one of a polyether ether ketone (PEEK) or a polyimide. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The guidewire of claim 12, wherein the polymeric stiffening structure encapsulates at least a portion of a signal wire, wherein the signal wire is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The guidewire of claim 1, wherein a length of the electrode along a longitudinal axis of the guidewire is less than a distance between a first PFA electrode disposed on an outer surface of the PFA catheter and a second PFA electrode disposed on the outer surface of the PFA catheter, wherein the second PFA electrode is adjacent the first PFA electrode, wherein the first PFA electrode has a first electrical potential and the second PFA electrode has a second electrical potential different form the first electrical potential. ### Claim 15 A medical system comprising: a pulsed field ablation (PFA) catheter; and a guidewire comprising: a core member comprising: a proximal portion having a first stiffness; and a distal portion having a second stiffness less than the first stiffness; an electrical insulator encapsulating the distal portion of the core member and at least a portion of the proximal portion of the core member, wherein the electrical insulator comprises a material configured to electrically insulate the core member from pulsed field ablation (PFA) energy delivered by a PFA catheter; and an electrode positioned along the distal portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The medical system of claim 15, wherein the core member further comprises: a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the transition portion tapers in stiffness from the first stiffness to the second stiffness. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The medical system of claim 16, wherein the guidewire further comprises a second electrode positioned along the transition portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The medical system of claim 15, further comprising: an electrically insulating jacket surrounding the electrical insulator and configured to house a signal wire, wherein the signal wire is configured to be electrically connected to the electrode. ### Claim 19 A method of forming a guidewire comprising: encapsulating a distal portion of a core member and at least a portion of a proximal portion of the core member within an electrical insulator, wherein the electrical insulator comprises a material configured to electrically insulate the core member from pulsed field ablation (PFA) energy delivered by a PFA catheter, wherein the proximal portion of the core member has a first stiffness and the distal portion of the core member has a second stiffness less than the first stiffness; and positioning an electrode along the distal portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: encapsulating a signal wire within an electrically insulating jacket, the electrically insulating jacket surrounding the electrical insulator, wherein the signal wire is between the electrical insulator and the electrically insulating jacket, wherein the signal wire is electrically connected to the electrode.