Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Joy E Morris

Edwin P Mahieu

This invention comprises a guidewire with a tenacious lubricious coating on its surface comprising a finely divided lubricious particulate. The coatings of this invention have a thickness of not more than about 0.00002 inch, a coefficient of friction of not more than about 0.030 and a hardness not less than about 1.0 Mohs. Preferably, the surface coating comprises a monomolecular layer of particulate tungsten disulfide. The guidewire of this invention incorporates an improved distal tip configuration comprising a flexible elongate core member which has at least one tapered section at its distal extremity and a flattened distal portion. The distal portion has two or more flattened regions having cross-sectional areas which decrease in the distal direction. A flexible helical coil is attached to the core member and comprises three or more distinct regions, each having increasing coil spacing in the distal direction. Preferably, the entire length of the guidewire proximal to the helical coil has the lubricious particulate surface coating of the invention.

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Santa Clara, CA, United States of America

Joy E Morris