Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Abbott Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.

Sharon Wong

Wayne E Cornish

Jeong Soo Lee

David M Anderson

Mark Richardson

Emmanuel C Biagtan

Douglas H Gesswein

Marc L Speck

Pablito Buan

Brandon Gosiengfiao

Matthew James Chludzinski

A guidewire formed at least in part of a superelastic member with a section having one or more altered properties including physical and mechanical properties. Preferably, the section of altered property has reduced superelasticity with respect to the remainder of the superelastic member. The invention also comprises method of manufacturing such guidewires wherein a section of the superelastic member is isolated and treated to change one or more of the properties. The treatment may be alloying with a diffusable element or isolating one or more sections to work and heat treat to decrease superelasticity relative to the rest of the member. The section having one or more altered properties is preferably a distal portion of the member, for example about the most distal 3 cm.

Superelastic guidewire with locally altered properties

A catheter having an elongated shaft formed of a polymeric tubular member with at least a section having a lubricious inner layer defining the guidewire lumen, a coiled support member at least partially embedded in the lubricious inner layer, and an outer layer on an outer surface of at least a distal portion of the lubricious inner layer. In a presently preferred embodiment, the coil supported polymeric tubular member forms an inner tubular member of a balloon catheter.

Coil reinforced multilayered inner tubular member for a balloon catheter

A guide wire for guiding a medical device within a patient is disclosed. The guide wire includes an elongate core with a flexible body disposed about and secured to a distal core section of the elongate core. A shapeable member extends distally from the distal core section, and the shapeable member preferably includes a nonrectangular, cross-sectional shape including a D-shape, semicircle, a triangle, or the like. In various embodiments, the polygonal shape of the cross-section is defined by a height h and a width b, wherein the moment of inertia of the shapeable member is preferably defined by at least 0.083&times;b&times;h .

Guide wire with a non-rectangular shaping member

A guidewire having a flexible coil with a tapered distal tip. Preferably, the flexible coil has a polymer coating at least at its tapered distal portion. The polymer coating may comprise polyurethanes or other suitable polymers. The guidewires of the invention provide desirable performance characteristics, particularly when used to cross relatively tight lesions such as chronic total occlusions.

Guidewire with tapered distal coil

An intracorporeal device such as a guide wire with an elongated core having a radiopaque and optionally MRI-compatible markers embedded in a polymer sleeve disposed on a distal section of the elongated core is disclosed. The marker sleeve may be secured to a tapered portion of the distal core section or a constant diameter portion of the distal core section. Individual markers may be formed by radiopaque ribbons, bands, or strips, or may be in the form of a helical coil.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Sharon Wong