Importance

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Abstract

A guidewire for use with a catheter has varying radiopacity as well as at least one radiopaque marker in its distal end. In one embodiment, the guidewire includes a shaft that supports a distal radiopaque coil and a proximal radiopaque coil. The proximal and distal coils are spaced apart from one another. The non-radiopaque area between the two coils has at least one radiopaque marker band attached to the shaft. The marker bands provide several radiographically visible reference Lengths. A polymer sleeve encases the marker bands and the shaft between the first and second coils providing a uniform outer diameter to the distal region of the guidewire. In another embodiment, the proximal coil may be omitted. In a further embodiment, a radiopaque coil having varying pitch along its length is supported by and attached to a distal region of the core wire. The coil includes highly radiopaque distal and proximal sections, or highly radiopaque distal section and lightly radiopaque window section, and a more moderately radiopaque intermediate section. The intermediate section of the coil may include at least one smaller tightly wound radiographically dark coil section separated from the distal and proximal sections and from one another by loosely wound coil sections. A polymer sleeve is attached to the guidewire and covers a portion of the coil. In a fourth embodiment, the sleeve is attached to the guidewire only at its ends and covers the intermediate window section of the coil.

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First Claim