Method of and apparatus for navigating medical devices in body lumens by a guide wire with a magnetic tip

A method of navigating a medical device through a body lumen to a desired location within the body, the method comprising:

• providing a medical device having a lumen therethrough, the lumen having a proximal end and a distal end;
• inserting a guide wire having a proximal end and a magnetic distal tip, the distal tip of the guide wire being made from a flexible magnetic material, through the lumen of the device until at least a portion of the magnetic distal tip extends distally beyond the distal end of the lumen in the medical device;
• inserting the medical device and the guide wire into a lumen in the body;
• navigating the medical device through the lumen in the body by applying a magnetic field to orient the magnetic tip in the desired direction of travel;
• advancing the guide wire in the direction in which the magnetic tip is oriented;
• and
• advancing the medical device over the guide wire;
• wherein the magnetic tip of the guide wire comprises a distal section of the guide wire being made from a flexible magnetic material.

A method of navigating a medical device through a body lumen to a desired location within the body, the method comprising:

• providing a medical device having a lumen therethrough, the lumen having a proximal end and a distal end;
• inserting a guide wire, having proximal end and a magnetic distal tip comprising a plurality of magnets secured on the distal end section of the guide wire in spaced apart relation allowing the guide wire to assume a shape under control of the magnetic field, through the lumen of the device until at least a portion of the magnetic distal tip extends distally beyond the distal end of the lumen in the medical device;
• inserting the medical device and guide wire into a lumen in the body;
• navigating the medical device through the lumen in the body by applying a magnetic field to shape the magnetic distal tip in the desired configuration to the orient the magnetic tip in the desired direction of travel;
• advancing the guide wire in the direction in which the magnetic tip is oriented;
• and
• advancing the medical device over the guide wire.

A method of navigating a medical device through a body lumen to a desired location within the body, the method comprising:

• providing a medical device having a proximal end;
• a distal end, and a lumen extending to substantially the distal end of the medical device;
• inserting a guide wire having a proximal end and a magnetic distal tip into the lumen until the magnetic tip is substantially adjacent the distal end of the medical device, the magnetic tip of the guide wire comprises a plurality of magnets secured on the distal end section of the guide wire in spaced apart relation;
• inserting the medical device and the guide wire into a lumen in the body;
• navigating the medical device through the lumen in the body by applying a magnetic field to orient the magnetic tip inside the lumen of the medical device so that the distal end of the medical device is oriented in the desired direction of travel;
• and
• advancing the guide wire and medical device in the direction in which the distal end of the medical device is oriented.