Coated medical guidewires are provided comprising: (a) a guidewire substrate comprising stainless steel, surgical steel, nitinol, or CoCrMo alloy; and (b) a cured coating layer applied to the guidewire substrate (a). The cured coating layer is prepared from a curable film-forming composition comprising an aqueous solution of sodium silicate. Also provided are methods of forming coated medical guidewires comprising: (a) cleaning a guidewire substrate; (b) contacting the guidewire substrate with a curable film-forming composition comprising an aqueous solution of sodium silicate to form a coating layer on the guidewire; and (c) subjecting the guidewire substrate and film forming composition to a temperature of at least 120? C. for a time sufficient to effect cure and form a coated medical guidewire.

An intravascular safety guidewire including an elongated main shaft, a distal terminus extending from the elongated main shaft, and an anchor rotatably connected to the distal terminus. In use, a needle is inserted into a patient's vein, then the intravascular safety guidewire is placed through the needle and into the vein, the needle is then removed over the intravascular safety guidewire, then a venous catheter is exchanged over the intravascular safety guidewire following serial dilatation using the Seldinger technique. Tubes such as dilators and catheters can then be placed over the intravascular safety guidewire and the intravascular safety guidewire ultimately removed. Currently complications can arise if a guidewire becomes retained inside a patient during an endovascular procedure, which is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The instant intravascular safety guidewire with its rotatable anchor reduces the likelihood of this complication.

A method for measuring a distance in a body vessel and introducing an implant into the body vessel, the method comprising: providing a guide wire, wherein the guide wire comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end comprises a spiral which has at least two adjoining spiral sections as markings, wherein at least a surface of one spiral section comprises a first material and at least a surface of the second spiral section comprises a second material, and further wherein the first material is different than the second material; inserting the guide wire into the body vessel; measuring the distance in the body vessel using the markings on the guide wire; and delivering the implant over the guide wire to the body vessel.

A vascular intervention procedure device is provided. The vascular intervention procedure device includes a platform, a catheter module rotating a catheter, and a guide wire module rotating a guide wire. The platform includes a base frame, a first transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in a front and rear direction, a second transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in the front and rear direction independently of the first transferring portion in rear of the first transferring portion, and a third transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in the front and rear direction independently of the first and the second transferring portions in rear of the second transferring portion. The catheter module is separably coupled to the first transferring portion. The guide wire module is separably coupled to the second transferring portion or the third transferring portion.

A delivery sheath is provided that that can be used to deliver a therapeutic device to the heart without dislodging the device when the delivery sheath is removed. The delivery sheath comprises a tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen. The therapeutic device is delivered through the lumen. A slit is provided along the length of the tubular body creating two opposing edges along the length of the tubular body. A guide wire engages along an entire length of the slit and closing the two opposing edges to form the lumen. The slit is opened from the distal end of the tubular body toward the proximal end of the tubular body by pulling on the guide wire at the proximal end, whereby the lumen expands and separates from the therapeutic device facilitating the extraction of the delivery sheath without disruption to the implanted device.

Guide extension catheters and methods of manufacturing and using guide extension catheters are disclosed. An example guide extension catheter may include a distal sheath having a proximal opening, a distal opening, and a central lumen extending therebetween. The guide extension catheter may also include a proximal shaft having an outer diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the distal sheath, the proximal shaft including a distal opening. The guide extension catheter may also include a coupling member for securing the distal sheath to the proximal shaft. The coupling member may include a distal portion attached to the distal sheath and a proximal portion disposed within the distal opening of the proximal shaft.

A guide wire includes a long flexible wire main body, and a coil that is formed by winding a plurality of wires in a spiral shape, and which is disposed at an outer periphery of a distal portion of the wire main body to cover the distal portion. The coil includes a coil distal portion that is disposed on a distal side in the distal portion, a coil proximal portion that is disposed on a further proximal side in comparison to the coil distal portion, and a coil intermediate portion that is disposed between the coil distal portion and the coil proximal portion, and includes a wire having a wire diameter that is smaller than a wire diameter of the wires of the coil distal portion and the coil proximal portion.

A vascular intervention procedure device is provided. The vascular intervention procedure device includes a platform, a catheter module rotating a catheter, and a guide wire module rotating a guide wire. The platform includes a base frame, a first transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in a front and rear direction, a second transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in the front and rear direction independently of the first transferring portion in rear of the first transferring portion, and a third transferring portion transferred with respect to the base frame in the front and rear direction independently of the first and the second transferring portions in rear of the second transferring portion. The catheter module is separably coupled to the first transferring portion. The guide wire module is separably coupled to the second transferring portion or the third transferring portion.

Disclosed is a guidewire for use in, e.g., procedures requiring axillary access and enhanced echo echogenicity. The guidewire may include a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion may include a tapered core wire extending from the proximal portion to a distal tip. The distal portion may have surface texturing on at least one surface near a distal end of the distal portion. The guidewire may have, e.g., a 180 J-tip operably coupled to the tapered core wire. At least a portion of the J-tip may have a stiffness less than a stiffness of the tapered core wire. The J-tip may include a metal-filled polymer, such as a tungsten-filled polyurethane. The tapered core wire may have a maximum diameter of 0.6-0.7 mm, and may have a tapered length of 70-120 mm.

A guidewire insertion tool includes a sidewall defining a passageway having a first open end and a second open end and a neck therebetween. The passageway tapers from the first and second open ends to the neck. The sidewall has a slit extending longitudinally along the sidewall. A tab is adjacent one of the first or second open ends for removing the tool from a guidewire through the slit.