Tracking guidewire

Abstract

Abstract A guidewire and guidewire assembly (10) for placement within a blood vessel for penetrating an occlusion therein. The guidewire comprises a length of flexible wire (12) having a concentric lumen (14) running its entire length and a distal end portion (20) having an arcuate tip (22) and a diameter greater than that of the wire immediately proximal thereto. The guidewire assembly comprises the guidewire described along with a flexible stylet (32) substantially the same length as the flexible wire and disposed within the lumen of the wire. In operation, the distal end portion is positioned in the blood vessel against an occlusion, and a dottering action is thereafter provided whereby the distal end portion repeatedly impinges on the occlusion until penetration of the occlusion occurs.

Inventors

• 👤 Rick L. Shockey

Bibliographic Details