A hypotube having a laser cut wave pattern to improve flexibility. The laser cut wave pattern on the hypotube includes multiple portions that vary the pitch and angle of the cuts. The laser cut wave pattern provides flexibility while maintaining pushability further into the most tortuous vasculature. The laser cut wave pattern also provides the ability to torque the flexible hypotube back and forth, with a 1 to 1 response, without stretching the flexible hypotube. The laser cut hypotube may be used in a number of vascular or neurovascular, such as a guidewire or catheter, or delivery of a stent.

Systems, medical devices, and methods for controlling stiffness of the medical devices are disclosed. For example, a system can include an elongate medical device such as a stylet and a pneumatic or hydraulic pump station. The medical device can include a tubular body with a lumen. The lumen, which terminates proximal of a distal end of the medical device, can be configured to contain a fluid. The pump station can be configured to pressurize the fluid and, thereby, stiffen at least a distal portion of the medical device. Being as the tubular body of the medical device is configured to be disposed in another lumen of another elongate medical device such as an intravenous catheter, any stiffness in the medical device (e.g., the stylet) can be imparted to the other medical device (e.g., the catheter) when disposed therein.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a braid layer positioned over the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the flexible tube and the braid layer, and an inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The braid layer has a plurality of strands braided together at a braid angle of 5-40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate flexible tube when the elongate flexible tube is straight. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet. The braid angle is configured to change as the rigidizing device bends when the rigidizing device is in the flexible configuration.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a braid layer positioned over the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the flexible tube and the braid layer, and an inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The braid layer has a plurality of strands braided together at a braid angle of 5-40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate flexible tube when the elongate flexible tube is straight. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet. The braid angle is configured to change as the rigidizing device bends when the rigidizing device is in the flexible configuration.

A rigidizing device includes an elongate flexible tube, a braid layer positioned over the elongate flexible tube, an outer layer over the flexible tube and the braid layer, and an inlet between the elongate flexible tube and the outer layer and configured to attach to a source of vacuum or pressure. The braid layer has a plurality of strands braided together at a braid angle of 5-40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of the elongate flexible tube when the elongate flexible tube is straight. The rigidizing device is configured to have a rigid configuration when vacuum or pressure is applied through the inlet and a flexible configuration when vacuum or pressure is not applied through the inlet. The braid angle is configured to change as the rigidizing device bends when the rigidizing device is in the flexible configuration.

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a fiber optic guidewire having a hypotube with a plurality of openings that provide variable stiffness and tracking characteristics between at least one proximal segment and one distal segment of the guidewire. In some embodiments, the guidewire further comprises a mandrel disposed within the hypotube, the mandrel cooperating with the optical fibers to permit the distal end of the hypotube to be shaped as desired by a user. Methods of manufacturing and using the guidewire are also disclosed.

An infusion catheter system may deliver a therapeutic agent to a desired location in the body. The system may include an elongate catheter shaft having a proximal end region, a distal end region, a distal opening, and a lumen extending between the proximal end region and distal opening. The distal end region may include a coiled portion having a preformed coiled configuration including a plurality of helically wound rings. A plurality of apertures may be formed through a sidewall of the coiled portion. A guidewire may be configured to be slidably disposed within the lumen of the catheter shaft. The guidewire may include a proximal end region having a first cross-sectional dimension, an enlarged distal end region having a second cross sectional dimension greater than the first cross-sectional dimension, and an intermediate region disposed between the proximal end region and the distal end region.

A guide wire of the present disclosure includes a core shaft having a distal end portion reducing in diameter, a coil body wound to cover the distal end portion, and a distal end fixing portion fixing the core shaft and the coil body to each other. The distal end portion includes a small diameter portion, a large diameter portion, and a tapered portion between the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion. The core shaft and the coil body are fixed at a portion excluding the tapered portion. A first bending rigidity FR1 of the large diameter portion, a second bending rigidity FR2 of the small diameter portion, and a length L of the tapered portion satisfy the following expressions (1) and (2). In the following expressions (1) and (2), the unit of L is mm (millimeter).
FR1/FR2≥10  (1)
1≤L≤3  (2)

A guide wire in which a distal end portion of the guide wire can be easily bent in a specific plane direction in shaping, is provided. A guide wire includes a core shaft having a maximum diameter in a cross section orthogonal to an axial direction of the core shaft and an orthogonal diameter in a direction orthogonal to a direction of the maximum diameter, the core shaft includes a first specific portion located on a distal end side of the core shaft and having an oblateness between 7% and 35%, where oblateness is defined as the difference between the maximum diameter and the orthogonal diameter divided by the maximum diameter. The first specific portion of the core shaft can be 5 mm or more in the axial direction.

A guide wire which is flexible in a distal portion and which can prevent occurrence of damage such as breakage and separation of a coil in the distal portion has an elongated core member and a tubular body located so as to cover a periphery of a distal portion of the core member. The tubular body is formed using a belt-shaped member wound in a spiral shape, and has an engagement portion which causes side portions adjacent in a longitudinal axis direction of the core member to engage with each other in the belt-shaped member.