Slotted medical device

Abstract

A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy that may be used as a guidewire, or both. Embodiments may navigate like a guidewire, but once in place, perform many or all of the functions that a catheter may perform. The device generally has a body which may be nitinol, with a plurality of pairs of slots cut into the body to make it more flexible in bending while maintaining adequate torsional stiffness. Each longitudinally adjacent pair may be rotated an angle around the axis from the previous pair, and the angle may be less than 89 degrees and greater than 31 degrees. In some embodiments, the angle may be in the range of 70-90 degrees and the average of the angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, may be less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy, the device comprising: 
 a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;    a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;    each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;    said angle being less than 89 degrees; and    said angle being greater than 31 degrees.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , said angle being greater than 80 degrees.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  at least some of said slots having a cross sectional shape selected from the group consisting of: wedge-shaped, T-shaped, and a substantially circular.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , for at least a plurality of said pairs, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1  having a varying longitudinal spacing between adjacent said pairs, said spacing generally decreasing from said proximal end to said distal end.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , said slots having been formed by a method selected from the group comprising saw-cutting, grinding, laser cutting, etching, and electron discharge machining.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , said slots having been formed by grinding with a diamond abrasive blade.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , said body being nitinol.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , said distal end comprising a detectable element, said detectable element being selected from the group consisting of radiopaque elements and MRI detectable elements.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , said body being tubular, said sleeve being inside said body.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , said body being tubular, the device further including a wire disposed inside said body and slidable therein.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , said wire including at least one bend formed therein.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , the device being a guidewire.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , said body being tubular, the device being a catheter.  
     
     
         16 . A catheter configured to navigate through anatomy, the catheter comprising: 
 a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;    a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;    a tubular polymer sleeve inside at least part of said body;    a re-positionable torquer; and    a luer adapter.    
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 16 , said sleeve being slidably disposed with respect to said body.  
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 16 , said sleeve being inside said body  
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 16 , said sleeve substantially comprising a material selected from the group consisting of elastomers, polyurethane, polyethylene, and Teflon.  
     
     
         20 . A hollow catheter guidewire apparatus comprising: 
 a tubular nitinol body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;    a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;    each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair, said angle being less than 89 degrees, and said angle being greater than 31 degrees;    a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body;    and a detachable chuck configured to attach to said body, said chuck being configured to facilitate manually rotating said body about said axis.    
     
     
         21 . A hollow catheter guidewire apparatus comprising: 
 a tubular nitinol body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;    a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot being at substantially the same axial location as said second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;    each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;    said angle being in the range of 70-90 degrees; the average of said angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, being less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.    a tubular polymer sleeve coaxial with at least part of said body;    and a detachable chuck configured to attach to said body, said chuck being configured to facilitate manually rotating said body about said axis.    
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 21:   said chuck being configured to facilitate introduction of medications into the interior of said guidewire;    said distal end being curved;    said distal end comprising a detectable element;    said detectable element being selected from the group consisting of radiopaque elements and MRI detectable elements;    said pairs having a varying longitudinal spacing;    said spacing generally decreasing from said proximal end to said distal end; and    said slots having been formed by a method selected from the group comprising saw-cutting, grinding, laser cutting, etching, and electron discharge machining.    
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 21  further including a metal wire slidably disposed inside said body and removable therefrom.  
     
     
         24 . A medical device configured to navigate through anatomy, the device comprising: 
 a body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending at least from the proximal end to the distal end;    a plurality of pairs of slots cut into said body, each said slot being substantially perpendicular to said axis, each said pair comprising a first slot and a second slot, said first slot and said second slot being on substantially opposite sides of said axis;    each longitudinally adjacent said pair being rotated an angle around said axis from the previous said pair;    said angle being in the range of 70-90 degrees; the average of said angles, computed over 10 adjacent sets of cuts, being less than 89 degrees and greater than 70 degrees.