Importance

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Abstract

A guidewire for use in a catheter comprising a unitary core wire, a distal tip and an elongate tube. The core wire has a body segment and a transition segment, the body segment being of substantially uniform outer diameter with a distal end serially disposed proximal to the transition segment proximal end, the transition segment being more flexible than the body segment, and progressively reduced in cross-section from the body segment. The smoothly rounded distal tip is affixed to the distal end of the transition segment. The elongate tube defines a tube lumen, the core wire transition segment extends longitudinally through the tube, the tube having a uniform outer diameter equal to the outer diameter of the body segment, the proximal end of the tube being affixed to the proximal end of the transition segment, the distal end of the tube being affixed to the distal tip. The tube may be formed of a super-elastic metallic member or formed from a synthetic resin. The tube wall thickness is preferably between 0.002 inches and 0.005 inches.

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First Claim