Elongated intracorporal medical device

Abstract

Alternative designs, materials and manufacturing methods for guidewires. Some embodiments pertain to a composite guidewire having proximal and distal section, and a connector adapted and configured for permanently joining the proximal section to the distal section. In some embodiments, at least one of the sections is made of a linear-elastic nickel-titanium alloy. Several alternative guidewire tip constructions and/or designs including methods and techniques of construction are also disclosed.

1 . A guidewire comprising: 
 an elongate core having a proximal section and a distal section, wherein the distal section comprises a linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy and a super elastic nickel-titanium alloy.    
   
   
       2 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal section comprises a metallic material that is different from a nickel-titanium alloy.  
   
   
       3 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal section comprises stainless steel.  
   
   
       4 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal section and the distal section are joined by a connector.  
   
   
       5 . The guidewire of  claim 4 , wherein the connector includes a tubular member.  
   
   
       6 . The guidewire of  claim 5 , wherein the connector includes a plurality of slots formed therein.  
   
   
       7 . The guidewire of  claim 4 , wherein the connector includes a metal alloy having a Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation of N06625.  
   
   
       8 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , further including a coil member attached to the distal section of the core, the coil member extending distally beyond the core.  
   
   
       9 . The guidewire of  claim 8 , wherein the coil member includes a distal end, and further including an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the coil member.  
   
   
       10 . The guidewire of  claim 1 , wherein the distal section includes a distal portion, and further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal portion of the core.  
   
   
       11 . The guidewire of  claim 9 , wherein the distal section includes a distal portion, and further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal portion of the core, the shaping ribbon being disposed inside the coil member and extending distally and being attached to the atraumatic tip.  
   
   
       12 . A guidewire comprising: 
 a distal core section comprising a linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy and a super elastic nickel-titanium alloy;    a proximal core section comprising a metallic material different from a nickel titanium alloy; and    a connector joining the proximal core section to the distal core section.    
   
   
       13 . The guidewire of  claim 12 , wherein the proximal section comprises stainless steel.  
   
   
       14 . The guidewire of  claim 12 , wherein the distal core section includes a distal end, and the guidewire further includes an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the distal core section.  
   
   
       15 . The guidewire of  claim 14 , further including a coil member attached to the distal core section and to the atraumatic tip.  
   
   
       16 . The guidewire of  claim 12 , wherein the distal core section includes a distal end, and further including a coil member attached to the distal core section and extending distally beyond the distal end of the distal core section, the coil member including a distal end, and further including an atraumatic tip attached to the distal end of the coil member.  
   
   
       17 . The guidewire of  claim 16 , further including a shaping ribbon comprising a non-superelastic material attached to the distal section of the core and extending within the coil member, and attached to the atraumatic tip.  
   
   
       18 . The guidewire of  claim 17 , wherein the shaping ribbon comprises stainless steel.  
   
   
       19 . The guidewire of  claim 12 , wherein the connector includes a tubular member.  
   
   
       20 . A guidewire comprising: 
 a core member having a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section including a nickel-titanium alloy;    wherein the nickel-titanium alloy includes a combination of super elastic nickel-titanium alloy and linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy;    wherein the distal section includes a proximal portion and a distal portion; and    wherein at least the proximal portion includes the linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.    
   
   
       21 . A guidewire comprising a core having proximal and distal sections comprising different materials: 
 the proximal portion including a reduced diameter distal portion;    the distal section including a reduced diameter proximal portion;    a hollow coupler connecting the reduced diameter portion of the proximal section to the reduced-diameter portion of the distal section, wherein the proximal section comprises a non-superelastic alloy; and the distal section includes a combination of super elastic nickel-titanium alloy and linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.    
   
   
       22 . The guidewire of  claim 21 , wherein the distal portion includes a proximal section and a distal section, and wherein at least the proximal section includes the linear elastic nickel-titanium alloy.