Guidewire with an intermediate variable stiffness section

Abstract

The invention is directed to an guide wire for intraluminal deployment of a medical device within a patient, the guide wire having an elongate core member with an intermediate core section comprising a plurality of contiguous segments in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the core member with alternating flexible and rigid core segments, so that the articulated section bends in a discontinuous, discrete manner when advanced through a curved blood vessel or other body lumen within the patient. When an obstruction on a vessel wall causes the catheter or other coaxial device to be impeded, the guide wire and intermediate core section may alternately be advanced and retracted a short distance through the catheter distal tip causing a “nodding” motion of the catheter tip while the catheter is pushed through the vessel, so as to avoid and bypass the vessel obstruction.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.