Devices And Methods For Guide Wire Placement

Abstract

A guide wire that has an atraumatic and flexible loop that expands within a vessel, with indicators that indicate the degree of expansion. The indicators are used to determine the degree of expansion through the use of radio-opaque markers, hydraulic, and electrical signals. The guide wire enables safe passage into target vessels while providing user feedback on inadvertent passage into side branches and diseased segments.

1 . A device for interventional vascular procedures comprising:
 a guide wire having a distal region and a proximal region;   a flexible mechanism disposed along said distal region of said guide wire;   a plurality of sensors disposed along said distal region of said guide wire and associated with said flexible mechanism;   said plurality of sensors configured to generate signals correlating to spatial positional changes of each of said plurality of sensors when said distal region is present in a vessel.   
     
     
         2 . A device according to  claim 1 , further comprising external equipment for receiving said signals and formulating a diameter of a vessel based on said signals. 
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a loop structure of a distal end of said guide wire. 
     
     
         4 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is constituted by at least two flexible structures. 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sensors are sensors for determining electrical resistance of applied current. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of sensors are sensors for determining a change in inductance of said flexible mechanism. 
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 6 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a tapered coil. 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sheath for housing said guide wire. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two of said at plurality of sensors are configured to generate signals for determining a diametral change of said flexible mechanism and at least two of said plurality of sensors are configured to generate signals for determining a length change of said flexible mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is an expandable strutted structure. 
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a plurality of loops disposed on said distal region of said guide wire. 
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 11 , wherein said loops are each of different size. 
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is non-linear structure. 
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is coil. 
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a combination of a spiral structure and a loop structure. 
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a combination of a spiral structure and a coil structure. 
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is an oval-shaped coil structure. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is an expanding wire structure. 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is an expandable wire mesh or braided structure. 
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is a strutted open-ended structure. 
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 1 , wherein said flexible mechanism is an inflatable balloon structure. 
     
     
         22 - 35 . (canceled)