EP0515201A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Superelastic formable guidewire
Assignee: Medtronic Vascular Inc
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Filing: 1992-05-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2012-05-21
Abstract
Abstract A guidewire (30) is provided having a malleable segment (40) extending beyond a superelastic tip portion (36) of the guidewire. Such a configuration provides a guidewire which is resistant to kinking and plastic deformation in the superelastic portion, but which has a distal segment which can be shaped by a physician immediately prior to use in a surgical procedure. The malleable segment can be attached to the distal end of the superelastic tip portion, or alternatively, can result from a malleable coating (20) on a portion of the superelastic tip, wherein the coating is thick enough to allow the coated portion of the tip to be formed into a desired shape. The malleable segment can be radiopaque to ease fluoroscopic visualization of the guidewire. In addition, the entire guidewire located proximally to the malleable segment can be fabricated from a superelastic alloy to provide resistance to kinking and plastic deformation along virtually the entire length of the guidewire.
Inventors
- 👤 L. Venkata Raman
- 👤 Stephen Moylan Salmon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:39
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/09; A61M2025/09058; A61M2025/09083; A61M2025/09175; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/02; A61M2205/0266
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. an elongate, flexible shaft having a distal end portion formed of a superelastic metallic alloy; and b. a malleable material applied to at least a portion of the distal end portion such that a superelastic region of the distal end portion located proximally to the malleable material is exposed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. an elongate, flexible shaft having a distal end portion formed of a superelastic metallic alloy; and b. a malleable material applied to at least a portion of the distal end portion such that a superelastic region of the distal end portion located proximally to the malleable material is exposed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 2 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the shaft comprises a superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 4 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 5 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A guidewire as in claim 4 wherein the distal end portion of the guidewire and the guidewire shaft are fabricated from a single segment of superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the distal end portion of the guidewire is gradually tapered toward the distal end of the guidewire.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the tip includes a spherical element at its distal end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the malleable material comprises a metal or a metallic alloy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 10 wherein the malleable material comprises gold.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 wherein the malleable material is radiopaque.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A guidewire as in claim 1 additionally comprising a lubricious coating on the surface thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
74 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a core wire having a distal end portion formed of a superelastic alloy; b. a flexible coil surrounding the distal end portion and extending distally beyond the distal end portion; and c. a forming ribbon contained within the coil to be formed into a desired shape, the forming ribbon extending between the distal end portion and a portion of the coil located beyond the distal end portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a core wire having a distal end portion formed of a superelastic alloy; b. a flexible coil surrounding the distal end portion and extending distally beyond the distal end portion; and c. a forming ribbon contained within the coil to be formed into a desired shape, the forming ribbon extending between the distal end portion and a portion of the coil located beyond the distal end portion.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the distal end portion includes a cladding on a surface thereof, the cladding covering only a segment of the distal end portion such that a region of the distal end portion located proximally to the cladding is exposed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
A guidewire as in claim 15 wherein the cladding comprises a metal or metallic alloy which does not exhibit superelastic properties.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
A guidewire as in claim 16 wherein the cladding comprises gold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 18 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the core wire comprises a superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 20 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 21 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
A guidewire as in claim 20 wherein the distal end portion of the guidewire and the core wire are fabricated from a single segment of a superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the distal end portion of the guidewire is gradually tapered toward the distal end of the guidewire.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
26 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein coil is fabricated of a material selected from the group consisting of platinum-tungsten alloys, gold-platinum alloys and stainless steel.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
26 A guidewire as in claim 14 wherein the coil is formed of a radiopaque material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
14 words
A guidewire as in claim 14 having a lubricious coating on the surface thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a guidewire shaft; b. a malleable tip portion; and c. a superelastic segment positioned proximally to the malleable tip portion, said superelastic segment being located in a region of the guidewire that is subject to permanent deformation during use.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
46 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a guidewire shaft; b. a malleable tip portion; and c. a superelastic segment positioned proximally to the malleable tip portion, said superelastic segment being located in a region of the guidewire that is subject to permanent deformation during use.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
46 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 wherein the malleable tip portion comprises a superelastic metallic alloy having a malleable material on at least one surface thereof, said malleable material being of a sufficient thickness to allow the tip portion to be formed into a desired shape.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 wherein the superelastic segment comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 30 wherein the superelastic segment comprises nitinol.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 wherein the guidewire shaft comprises a superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 32 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 33 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
28 words
A guidewire as in claim 32 wherein the superelastic segment of the guidewire and the guidewire shaft are fabricated from a single segment of a superelastic metallic alloy.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 wherein the distal end portion of the guidewire is gradually tapered toward the distal end of the guidewire.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
13 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 wherein the malleable tip portion is radiopaque.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
A guidewire as in claim 28 having a lubricious coating on the surface thereof.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
55 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a shaft of a superelastic alloy, the shaft defining a body portion and a tip portion; and b. malleable material on the surface of the tip portion, said malleable material being of the thickness sufficient to impart formability to the tip in the region of the malleable material.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
55 words
A guidewire for a catheter comprising: a. a shaft of a superelastic alloy, the shaft defining a body portion and a tip portion; and b. malleable material on the surface of the tip portion, said malleable material being of the thickness sufficient to impart formability to the tip in the region of the malleable material.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
18 words
A guidewire as in claim 39 wherein the superelastic metallic alloy comprises an alloy of nickel and titanium.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 40 wherein the superelastic alloy comprises nitinol.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 39 wherein the malleable material comprises gold.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
12 words
A guidewire as in claim 39 wherein the malleable material is radiopaque.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
16 words
A guidewire as in claim 39 additionally comprising a lubricious coating applied to the surface thereof.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
20 words
A guidewire as in claim 39 wherein the tip portion is gradually tapered toward the distal end of the guidewire.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
17 words
A guidewire as in claim 45 wherein the tip includes a spherical element at its distal end.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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