Superelastic formable guidewire with malleable cladding
US5368049A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 15, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 29, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 15, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M2205/0266
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A guidewire is provided having a malleable segment extending beyond a superelastic tip portion 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 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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.