An apparatus includes a tube configured for insertion into a body of a subject, the tube comprising a plurality of strips, which are angled obliquely with respect to a longitudinal axis of the tube, by virtue of the tube being shaped to define a plurality of slits having respective oblique proximal ends and respective oblique distal ends. The distal end of each of the slits is nested between the proximal end of a first other one of the slits and the proximal end of a second other one of the slits such that (i) one of the strips is disposed between the distal end of the slit and the proximal end of the first other one of the slits, and (ii) another one of the strips is disposed between the distal end of the slit and the proximal end of the second other one of the slits.

A support system, a support method, and a support program in the form of a non-transitory computer readable medium, which supports selection of a medical instrument and selection of a use form of the medical instrument. A support system includes the data acquisition unit that acquires health care worker data on a health care worker, medical institution data on a medical institution, patient data on a patient, and operation data on a past operation experience of the health care worker, a learning unit that performs machine learning using the health care worker data, the medical institution data, the patient data, and the operation data, and a presentation unit that presents a medical instrument recommended for use in operation on the patient and a recommended use form of the medical instrument based on a result of the machine learning.

A guide wire for minimally invasive operations with a distal wire end piece (3, II) connected to a wire main piece (2), wherein the guide wire (I, 10) has, at least in the distal wire end piece (3, II), an inner shaft (4, 14) and at least one protective layer enclosing the inner shaft (4, 14), the inner shaft (4, 14) comprises a first fibre composite material and, at least in the distal wire end piece (3, II), the inner shaft (4, 14) has a plurality of weakened points (8, 18), which are created by mechanical interventions, is characterised in that the weakened points (8, 18) are created by buckling load, bending load and/or breaking load. Correspondingly, for a method for producing a guide wire of this kind it is proposed that the weakened points (8, 18) are created by buckling load, bending load and/or breaking load.

A guide wire including a core shaft including a distal end portion having a pseudoelastic property, a tip joined to a distal end of the distal end portion of the core shaft, and an auxiliary wire that is arranged parallel to the distal end portion of the core shaft. The auxiliary wire has a distal end joined to the tip and a rear end joined to the core shaft. The auxiliary wire has a high flexibility, a high breaking strength, and a short breaking elongation compared to the distal end portion of the core shaft.

A connection structure includes a multi-thread coil formed by winding first metal element wires formed of a first metal and second metal element wires formed of a second metal arranged between a first metal body including the first metal and a second metal body including the second metal. The first metal body is connected to the first metal element wires of the multi-thread coil, and the second metal body is connected to the second metal element wires of the multi-thread coil. The connection structure imparts improved flexibility to the connection between the first and second metal bodies, and an appropriate connection can be provided even when the first and second metal bodies are made of dissimilar metals.

A guide wire includes a core shaft and a coil body wound around at least a portion of the core shaft on a proximal end side. The coil body is joined with the core shaft by a predetermined joint means at a position of a proximal end of the core shaft, and a first position along an axial direction of the guide wire between the proximal end and a distal end of the core shaft. The coil body is joined with the core shaft by welding at an axial specific position being at least one position within a range from the proximal end of the core shaft to the first position along the axial direction of the guide wire.

The present invention discloses a steerable guidewire and a method for manufacturing the same, and a steerable catheter and a method for manufacturing the same. According to an aspect of the present invention, a steerable guidewire, which is inserted into a catheter and guides the catheter to a desired blood vessel, may include: a steerable tip part that can be bent in at least two stages due to a stimulus from the outside and that is steered in a predetermined direction; and a non-steerable tip part that is not steerable. The steerable tip part may include: a first steerable tip part having a first length and bent in a first angle with respect to the non-steerable tip part; and a second steerable tip part having one end connected to the first steerable tip part, having a second length, and bent and steered into a second angle with respect to the non-steerable tip part. The first steerable tip part may be positioned farther from the non-steerable tip part than the second steerable tip part. The first length of the first steerable tip part may be smaller than a sum of lengths of steerable tip parts other than the first steerable tip part, and the first angle may be steered so as to be larger than the second angle.

A guidewire (10) is provided including a core wire (12), a resin layer (14) at least partially surrounding the core wire, and a coil wire (16) external to the resin layer. The resin layer extending over and along the core wire may comprise a series of windings, which may have a constant or variable pitch, or may comprise a sleeve. By applying a heat treatment to portions og the guidewire, the resin layer may be selectively melted to form a bond between the core wire and the coil wire. This technique may be used to provide the guidewire with a desired strength profile, without the need for tapering the ends of the core wire.

A guide wire including a core shaft, a coil body that covers an outer periphery of the core shaft, and a distal end joint that joins the core shaft and the coil body, The distal end joint includes tin-zinc based solder. The guide wire has secured joining strength between the core shaft and the coil body no matter the material used for the core shaft and the coil body, and especially when the core shaft and/or the coil body are formed of tungsten.

An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising a flexible sheath (11) enveloping at least one lumen (17, 17′) comprising an electrically conductive wire (20) including a deformable actuator (21) for deforming a section of the invasive medical device in response to an electric current provided through the electrically conductive wire, wherein the flexible sheath comprises a set of apertures (31) extending through the flexible sheath to the at least one lumen, said apertures being filled with an adhesive (33) anchoring the deformable actuator to the flexible sheath. A manufacturing method for such an invasive medical device (10) is also disclosed.