A delivery device to deliver a guidewire through an intravenous catheter assembly may include a housing, which may include a distal end, a proximal end, and a slot. The delivery device may include a guidewire, which may include a proximal end and a distal end. The delivery device may include a guidewire hub disposed within the housing. The guidewire may be secured to the guidewire hub, and the guidewire hub may be configured to move along the slot to advance the guidewire in a distal direction. The distal end of the guidewire may include a fluid permeable structure. For example, the fluid permeable structure may include an elongated core and a coil extending around the elongated core. In some embodiments, a space between the elongated core and the coil may be configured to receive blood in response to the guidewire being inserted into the vasculature.

Systems and methods for implanting a lead. The system includes an active guidewire having proximal and distal ends. The distal end includes a guidewire anchor that is configured to be attached to a target SOL. The active guidewire is configured to be utilized to electrically map the target SOI by at least one of delivering stimulation energy through the active guide wire to the target SOI or sensing an evoked response at the target SOI from the guidewire. The system also includes a lead having a lead body with proximal and distal ends and with a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The distal end of the lead body is configured to receive the proximal end of the active guidewire. The lumen is configured to permit the lead body to be advanced over the active guidewire.

The present invention relates to methods of transvascular retrograde access placement and to devices that facilitate these methods. For purposes of the present invention, transvascular retrograde access placement generally comprises the insertion of a vascular catheter into a central blood vessel through the puncturing of the central blood vessel from the inside of the central blood vessel with a needle or other similarly configured device, or a needle-tipped guidewire of the present invention, and exiting that needle from the patient through the skin rather than the traditional approach of inserting a needle from the outside of the skin surface to the inside of a blood vessel.

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 reentry catheter for crossing a vascular occlusion includes an elongate flexible tubular body, having a proximal end, a distal end and at least one lumen extending there through. A reentry zone on the tubular body includes at least two and preferably three sets of opposing pairs of axially spaced exit apertures in communication with the lumen. The apertures are rotationally offset from each other and aligned in a spiral pattern around the tubular body. A method of crossing a chronic total occlusion includes the steps of advancing the reentry catheter across the occlusion via a channel formed in the subintimal space, and advancing a guidewire via a selected exit port into the native lumen distally of the occlusion. The catheter may be removed, leaving the guidewire across the occlusion to guide further interventional devices.

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, which can be used with a surgical navigation system, is provided. An elongate tube body defines a tube lumen and has longitudinally spaced proximal and distal body ends. The tube body includes a first longitudinal biasing portion including at least one first-direction helical cut therealong. The tube body also includes a second longitudinal biasing portion, including at least one second-direction helical cut therealong. The first direction is radially opposite the first direction. A core wire is at least partially located inside the tube lumen and has longitudinally spaced proximal and distal core wire ends. A tracking sensor is located at least partially within the tube lumen.

Devices and methods for the treatment of chronic total occlusions are provided. One disclosed embodiment comprises a method of facilitating treatment via a vascular wall defining a vascular lumen containing an occlusion therein. The method includes inserting an intramural crossing device into the vascular lumen, positioning at least the distal tip of the crossing device in the vascular wall, advancing an orienting device over the crossing device such that an orienting element of the orienting device resides in the vascular wall, inserting a reentry device, and re-entering the true vascular lumen.

A telescopic wire guide is disclosed. The telescopic wire guide comprises an outer wire having a proximal end and a distal end. The outer wire has a lumen formed from the proximal end through the distal end. The telescopic wire guide further comprises a core wire disposed within the lumen and slidably movable therealong relative to the outer wire for distally telescopically extending the wire guide a predetermined length.

A method and computer program for calculating proximal and distal ends of an interlaced device before being positioned in a vascular structure are proposed. The method comprises receiving a three-dimensional image of a vascular structure in which an interlaced device with a singularity at a proximal and/or distal end will be positioned. A central line of said structure which defines a direction in which the interlaced device is to be deployed is traced. A point P.sub.d on the traced central line and the local morphology of the vessel are defined, wherein point P.sub.d indicates the point where the distal end of the interlaced device will start to be deployed. A proximal point P.sub.p is calculated using the distal point P.sub.d and the local morphology of the vessel, both having been defined. The proximal and distal ends are calculated depending on if the singularity is at the proximal and/or distal ends.