A medical device, such as a medical wire, which includes a coating applied to the surface of the medical wire. The coating includes a base layer bonded to the surface of the medical wire and an at least partially transparent low-friction top coat applied to the base layer. The base layer includes heat activated pigments that change color when heated above a color shifting temperature. In one embodiment, the color of the pigment in one area contrasts with the color of the pigment in an adjacent area without otherwise affecting the low-friction surface of the coating. The areas of different color created in locations along the length of the low-friction coated medical wire form markings which, as an example, enable a surgeon to determine the length of the medical wire inserted into a body by observing the markings on the portion of the marked medical wire located exterior to the body.

A method for venting the left ventricle of a patient's heart includes the step of providing a left heart vent catheter that includes an elongate tube having a hollow passageway. The catheter is provided with a plurality of openings and a balloon near the distal end. The balloon can be inflated after the catheter is in place so as to engage a desired part of the heart such as the aortic valve or tricuspid valve and thereby prevent undesired withdrawal of the catheter. The openings near the distal end permit fluid to be withdrawn from the heart through the hollow passageway. After the surgical procedure has been completed, the balloon can be collapsed and the catheter can be withdrawn.

Applicants hereby present a “clean” copy of the amended Abstract:

A method for venting the left ventricle of a patient's heart includes the step of providing a left heart vent catheter that includes an elongate tube having a hollow passageway. The catheter is provided with a plurality of openings and a balloon near the distal end. The balloon can be inflated after the catheter is in place so as to engage a desired part of the heart such as the aortic valve or tricuspid valve and thereby prevent undesired withdrawal of the catheter. The openings near the distal end permit fluid to be withdrawn from the heart through the hollow passageway. After the surgical procedure has been completed, the balloon can be collapsed and the catheter can be withdrawn.

A method of forming a fenestrated tubular support member includes determining a first iso-stiffness curve corresponding to a first function of beam length versus ring width for the first stiffness; determining a second iso-stiffness curve corresponding to a second function of beam length versus ring width for the second stiffness; determining an iso-volume curve corresponding to a third function of beam length versus ring width for a given fenestration volume; identifying a first intersection point where the iso-volume curve intersects the first iso-stiffness curve; and identifying a second intersection point where the iso-volume curve intersects the second iso-stiffness curve. The first section ring width and first section beam length are determined from the first intersection point, and the second section ring width and second section beam length are determined from the second intersection point.

A guidewire with a cross section of at least a part of its length, comprising a filling material (PLM), a lumen (LM) arranged inside the filling material (PLM) for accommodating an optical fiber (OF) with optical shape sensing properties. One or more stiffening elements (RD) are arranged inside the first material (PLM), wherein the stiffening element(s) (RD) is formed by a material having a higher axial stiffness than the filling material. A braiding structure (BR) encircles all of: the filling material (PLM), the lumen (LM), and the stiffening element(s) (RD). Such guidewire can be designed with a circular symmetric bending behavior, and is thus suitable as an interventional medical device, e.g. for endovascular procedures, and still it can provide optical shape sensing properties.

Disclosed is a method for preparing a nitric oxide-generating adherent coating, comprising: preparing a buffer solution containing polyphenol compounds, organic selenium or sulfur compounds and soluble copper salts; then contacting a base material with the solution, and washing and drying to obtain a target product. The nitric oxide-generating material prepared by the method can be used for any medical device, such as an intravascular stent, or materials and any complex-shaped base material, and has the capability of scavenging free radicals and catalyzing RSNO to produce nitrogen monoxide, and also has a response function of reduced glutathione (GSH), an antimicrobial function and all the physiological functions possessed by nitrogen monoxide.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of segmented metallic guidewires that are suitable for MRI catheterization. Disclosed guidewires comprise a plurality of short conductive metallic segments that individually are short enough such that they do not resonate during MRI. The conductive segments are electrically insulated from each other and mechanically coupled together end-to-end via connectors, such as stiffness matched connectors, to provide a sufficiently long, strong, and flexible guidewire for catheterization that is non-resonant during MRI.

A guidewire made from a drawn filled tube composite wire is described. The composite wire has a stainless steel outer sheath jacketing a nitinol core wire. The drawn filled tube composite wire is ground at its distal end to expose the nitinol core, which has superelastic and kink resistant properties that are desirable for the distal end of a guidewire. The proximal end of the drawn filled tube is not ground or if ground, the outer sheath of stainless steel is not removed to an extent sufficient to expose the nitinol core.

Shapeable guide wire devices and methods for their manufacture. Guide wire devices include an elongate shaft member having a shapeable distal end section that is formed from a linear pseudoelastic nickel-titanium (Ni—Ti) alloy that has linear pseudoelastic behavior without a phase transformation or onset of stress-induced martensite. Linear pseudoelastic Ni—Ti alloy, which is distinct from non-linear pseudoelastic (i.e., superelastic) Ni—Ti alloy, is highly durable, corrosion resistant, and has high stiffness. The shapeable distal end section is shapeable by a user to facilitate guiding the guide wire through tortuous anatomy. In addition, linear pseudoelastic Ni—Ti alloy is more durable tip material than other shapeable tip materials such as stainless steel.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for administering one or more medications useful for facilitating diagnostic and/or surgical procedures within a patient. A guidewire is positioned intravascularly in a patient at a location of interest, the guidewire being free of any coating that includes adenosine. An intravascular component having a surface with a coating that includes a vasodilation agent is deployed over the guidewire. The vasodilation agent is released from the surface of the intravascular component, such as by eluting the vasodilation agent from the coating of the surface while the intravascular component is within the anatomical structure of the patient. The intravascular component is removed over the guidewire, and the guidewire is left at the location of interest after the intravascular component is removed, which can facilitate subsequent deployment of a different intravascular component over the guidewire.

To provide a lead wire for narrow space insertion that is easily inserted into an elongated small-diameter pipe or small-diameter tube such as an ultrasonic probe or an electrode catheter. The above-described problem is solved by a lead wire for narrow space insertion including a copper alloy wire having a conductor diameter within a range of 0.015 to 0.18 mm, and an insulating layer provided to an outer periphery of the copper alloy wire. A friction coefficient of an outermost surface layer of the insulating layer is within a range of 0.05 to 0.3, a tensile strength of the lead wire is within a range of 700 to 1,500 MPa, and a conductivity of the copper alloy wire is within a range of 60 to 90% IACS.