Ultrasound imaging guidewire

Abstract

Abstract A medical guidewire (28) has a substantially uniform small diameter (d) throughout its length and incorporates means for lateral acoustic scanning, and the guidewire comprises a proximal connector (27), an extended main guidewire body portion (144), an axially elongated transition section (34), and a floppy tip portion (26), the main body portion comprises a stationary outer wall including means capable of transmitting torque and within the outer wall, an elongated rotable shaft (1) with a distally positioned acoustic imaging transducer (22) mounted thereon, the proximal connector is constructed to be attached to and detached from a device (20) to enable a therapeutic device to be introduced over the guidewire, the connector has a stationary portion secured to the outer wall and an inner drive portion secured to the shaft, the floppy tip portion comprises an outer wire coil (7) and a core rod (8) which tapers from a relatively large diameter at a proximal joint with the outer wire coil to a floppy distal tip, and the elongated transition section (34) serves to join the main body portion to the floppy tip section.

Inventors

• 👤 Mark A. Hamm
• 👤 Robert J. Crowley

Bibliographic Details