Importance

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Abstract

A guide wire for controlling the attitude of the tip of a catheter in a vascular system. The guide wire has an elongated shaft with a portion near the distal end having one or more of a series of bends along the length of the intermediate portion of the shaft. The bends may be preferably formed in a single plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and the guide wire also preferably includes a helical coil extending over the intermediate portion of the shaft and conforming to the bends in the shaft. In an alternative embodiment, the curves may be formed in a plurality of planes at least one of which is coplanar with the axis of the guide wire. In operation, the attitude of the distal end of a catheter placed over the guide wire is controlled by the movement of the tip of the catheter along the series of bends in the guide wire or by longitudinal and/or rotational movement of the guide wire with the cathether, so that the direction of the tip conincides with the tangential angle of the catheter tip on the curved portion of the guide wire. In order to provide for a wide variety of angles, the degree of curvature of the series of bends in the guide wire is preferably increased toward the direction of the distal end of the guide wire.

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First Claim