US 5,303,714 A · Guidewire for crossing occlusions in blood vessels

Abstract

A guidewire for penetrating an occlusion within a duct or vessel, such as a blood vessel, has an elongated main guidewire body of a small, first diameter. The guidewire is terminated at its distal end with an enlarged resilient tip portion having a lubricious outer surface, and is shaped and constructed to penetrate the occlusion. The guidewire body is constructed to be to be relatively flexible in the distal end corresponding to the enlarged tip and relatively stiffer in portions proximal thereof for manipulation of the wire from its proximal end to cause the distal tip portion to penetrate the occlusion and form a passage therein. In an embodiment, an outer sleeve is slid over the main body and butting against the proximal end of the enlarged tip portion contributes to axial stiffness of the combination to enable manipulation through the occlusion. After placement this sleeve is removed and a dilatation catheter is slid over the main body, and enters the occlusion behind the enlarged tip portion.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A medical guidewire comprising:

an elongated main guidewire body having selected stiffness characteristics along its length to allow the guidewire to be urged through a narrow, torturous body lumen by application of forces at a proximal end, and
a composite enlarged distal end portion comprised of an extension of said main guidewire body and a surrounding enlarged soft outer polymeric element having a diameter larger than the diameter of portions of said main guidewire body proximal of said enlarged distal end portion, the portion of said guidewire body in the distal part of said enlarged distal end portion being of smaller diameter than the portion of said guidewire body in the proximal part of said enlarged distal end portion, the flexibility of said enlarged distal end portion being determined over substantially all of its length predominantly by the respective portions of the guidewire body therewithin.

A method for positioning a dilatation balloon catheter within an occlusion in a body lumen comprising:

providing a guidewire comprising an elongated main guidewire body having selected stiffness characteristics along its length to allow the guidewire to be urged through a narrow, torturous body lumen by application of forces at a proximal end, and
a composite enlarged distal end portion comprised of an extension of said main guidewire body and a surrounding enlarged soft outer polymeric element having a diameter larger than the diameter of portions of said main guidewire body proximal of said enlarged distal end portion, the portion of said guidewire body in the distal part of said enlarged distal end portion being of smaller diameter than the portion of said guidewire body in the proximal part of said enlarged distal end portion, the flexibility of said enlarged distal end portion being determined over substantially all of its length predominantly by the respective portions of the guidewire body therewithin,
manipulating said guidewire in said body lumen in the proximity of said occlusion,
maneuvering said enlarged distal end portion across said occlusion, said enlarged distal end portion creating an enlarged passageway in said occlusion;
and
advancing a dilitation balloon catheter over said guidewire body into said passageway in position for dilitation of said occlusion, said balloon catheter having a predetermined outer deflated diameter of about the same maximum diameter as the enlarged distal end portion of said guidewire.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Guidewire for crossing occlusions in blood vessels

Life of this patent

Guidewire for crossing occlusions in blood vessels

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims33