Patent US2306073A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3962107A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5904657A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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System for guiding devices in body lumens
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1997-02-26
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Granted: 1999-05-18
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Expires: 2017-02-26
Abstract
Abstract A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens includes a guidewire made of a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and having a lumen; an energy guide, preferably an optical fiber, received in the lumen; and a catheter or device slidably attached to the guidewire. The guidewire has a memorized shape and is in a martensitic (deformable) state during insertion into the body lumen. During or after insertion of the guidewire into the body lumen, the energy guide produces localized heating of the inner surface of the distal end of the guidewire, to cause the guidewire to at least partially recover its memorized shape, thereby selectively changing the shape, radii of curves, and rigidity of part or all of the guidewire. This selective shaping of the guidewire reduces fouling and facilitates delivery of devices along the guidewire.
Inventors
- 👤 John D. Unsworth
- 👤 Thomas C Waram
- 👤 Allan G Adelman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 10:44
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0155; A61M25/0158; A61M25/09; A61M2025/0161; A61M2025/09116
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and has a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby straighten and stiffen all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens; and wherein said heating means comprises an optical fiber extending through one of the lumens of the guidewire, said optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said optical fiber being adapted to deliver photo-thermal energy along the optical fiber.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
174 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and has a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby straighten and stiffen all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens; and wherein said heating means comprises an optical fiber extending through one of the lumens of the guidewire, said optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said optical fiber being adapted to deliver photo-thermal energy along the optical fiber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the optical fiber is provided with redirecting means which re-direct and project said photo-thermal onto an inner surface of said lumen of the guidewire.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said optical fiber further has a lumen extending from said proximal end to said distal end of said optical fiber, said lumen of said optical fiber being adapted to deliver heating or cooling fluids or both from the proximal end to the distal end of the optical fiber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said optical fiber includes means for redirecting flow of said fluids normal to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
194 words
The system of claim 1, wherein the guidewire is made of a shape memory alloy (SMA) material that is deformable from a previously memorized shape in a deformation state selected from one or more of bending, tension and torsion, and at a temperature at or above an austenite finish temperature of the SMA material such that the SMA material exhibits superelastic behavior by forming stress-induced martensite or exhibits pure elastic behavior, or some combination of both superelastic and elastic behavior in different areas or layers of the guidewire, and wherein the application of thermal energy causes the SMA material to increase in temperature, which causes the stiffness of the guidewire to increase and thereby attempt to resume its memorized shape either by a concomitant increase in elastic modulus of the SMA material or by an increase in a value of a superelastic stress plateau, which is a stress at which the stress-induced martensite is first formed, or by a combination thereof, or other more complex deformation and recovery paths occurring as a function of stress, strain and temperature, including complex subloops at temperatures at or above the austenite finish temperature of the SMA material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 5, wherein the SMA material is a nickel/titanium alloy.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
197 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of an inner tube enclosed within an outer tube along at least a part of its length, each of the inner tube and the outer tube comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and having a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy wherein, during shape recovery, one of said tubes is in compression parallel to its longitudinal axis and the other of said tubes is in tension parallel to its longitudinal axis; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby change the shape, the radii of its curves and the rigidity of all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
197 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of an inner tube enclosed within an outer tube along at least a part of its length, each of the inner tube and the outer tube comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and having a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy wherein, during shape recovery, one of said tubes is in compression parallel to its longitudinal axis and the other of said tubes is in tension parallel to its longitudinal axis; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby change the shape, the radii of its curves and the rigidity of all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said heating means comprises an optical fiber extending through one of the lumens of the guidewire, said optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said optical fiber being adapted to deliver photo-thermal energy along the optical fiber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 8, wherein the distal end of the optical fiber is provided with redirecting means which re-direct and project said photo-thermal energy onto an inner surface of said lumen of the guidewire.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 8, wherein said optical fiber further has a lumen extending from said proximal end to said distal end of said optical fiber, said lumen of said optical fiber being adapted to deliver heating or cooling fluids or both from the proximal end to the distal end of the optical fiber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 10, wherein said optical fiber includes means for redirecting flow of said fluids normal to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
The system of claim 7, wherein the guidewire is deformable from a previously memorized shape in a deformation state selected from one or more of bending, tension and torsion, and at a temperature at or above an austenite finish temperature of the SMA material such that the SMA material exhibits superelastic behavior by forming stress-induced martensite or exhibits pure elastic behavior, or some combination of both superelastic and elastic behavior in different areas or layers of the guidewire, and wherein the application of thermal energy causes the SMA material to increase in temperature, which causes the stiffness of the guidewire to increase and thereby attempt to resume its memorized shape either by a concomitant increase in elastic modulus of the SMA material or by an increase in a value of a superelastic stress plateau, which is a stress at which the stress-induced martensite is first formed, or by a combination thereof, or other more complex deformation and recovery paths occurring as a function of stress, strain and temperature, including complex subloops at temperatures at or above the austenite finish temperature of the SMA material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 12, wherein the SMA material is a nickel/titanium alloy.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
199 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of an inner tube enclosed within an outer tube along at least a part of its length, each of the inner tube and the outer tube comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and having a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy wherein, during shape recovery, one of said tubes is in compression radially, normal to its longitudinal axis, and the other of said tubes is in tension radially, normal to its longitudinal axis; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby change the shape, the radii of its curves and the rigidity of all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
199 words
A system for guiding devices or materials into body lumens, comprising: a guidewire having a proximal end, a distal end spaced from the proximal end, and one or more lumens extending through the guidewire from the proximal end to approximately the distal end, wherein said guidewire is comprised of an inner tube enclosed within an outer tube along at least a part of its length, each of the inner tube and the outer tube comprising a shape memory alloy (SMA) or other shape memory material and having a memorized shape which is relaxed by the extraction of thermal energy and is at least partly recovered with the application of thermal energy wherein, during shape recovery, one of said tubes is in compression radially, normal to its longitudinal axis, and the other of said tubes is in tension radially, normal to its longitudinal axis; heating means adapted for selective, localized heating of said guidewire to thereby change the shape, the radii of its curves and the rigidity of all or part of said guidewire; and a catheter or device, that is slidably attached to said guidewire, and that is adapted to be slid along said guidewire into a body lumens.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said heating means comprises an optical fiber extending through one of the lumens of the guidewire, said optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said optical fiber being adapted to deliver photo-thermal energy along the optical fiber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 15, wherein the distal end of the optical fiber is provided with redirecting means which re-direct and project said photo-thermal energy onto an inner surface of said lumen of the guidewire.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system of claim 15, wherein said optical fiber further has a lumen extending from said proximal end to said distal end of said optical fiber, said lumen of said optical fiber being adapted to deliver heating or cooling fluids or both from the proximal end to the distal end of the optical fiber.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 17, wherein said optical fiber includes means for redirecting flow of said fluids normal to a longitudinal axis of said optical fiber.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
184 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the guidewire is deformable from a previously memorized shape in a deformation state selected from one or more of bending, tension and torsion, and at a temperature at or above an austenite finish temperature of the SMA material such that the SMA material exhibits superelastic behavior by forming stress-induced martensite or exhibits pure elastic behavior, or some combination of both superelastic and elastic behavior in different areas or layers of the guidewire, and wherein the application of thermal energy causes the SMA material to increase in temperature, which causes the stiffness of the guidewire to increase and thereby attempt to resume its memorized shape either by a concomitant increase in elastic modulus of the SMA material or by an increase in a value of a superelastic stress plateau, which is a stress at which the stress-induced martensite is first formed, or by a combination thereof, or other more complex deformation and recovery paths occurring as a function of stress, strain and temperature, including complex subloops at temperatures at or above the austenite finish temperature of the SMA material.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 19, wherein the SMA material is a nickel/titanium alloy.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-05-17 | 2002-11-16 | 2003-05-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-05-17 | 2006-11-16 | 2007-05-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-05-17 | 2010-11-16 | 2011-05-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |