Guide wire advancer and assembly and method for advancing a guide wire

Abstract

An advancer for advancing a guide wire includes a distal portion having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough. The distal portion is capable of straightening the guide wire. The advancer further includes a proximal portion having a passageway extending longitudinally therethrough and a central portion having first and second curved surface members which extend between the distal portion and the proximal portion. The curved surface members define an opening therebetween to provide access for a user's thumb and finger to advance a guide wire through the advancer. Also disclosed is a guide wire advancer assembly which includes the advancer and a guide wire storage tube. The tube has an outer diameter which is substantially the same as an inner diameter of the proximal portion and which has the guide wire enclosed within the storage tube. A method for straightening a guide wire for insertion into a patient includes the steps of inserting a tip of the guide wire advancer into a proximal end of a guide wire introducer. The end of the guide wire is passed through the proximal end of the guide wire advancer, and the guide wire is advanced through the guide wire advancer such that it passes through the opening in the tip of the guide wire advancer and into the opening in the guide wire introducer. The guide wire is then passed through the guide wire introducer and into the patient.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.