A steerable guide wire and/or a catheter device and associated method. The device includes a guide wire having a distal end, a hollow interior, and an anchoring mechanism positioned proximate to the distal end of the guide wire. The device further includes a core wire is slidably inserted into the hollow interior of the guide wire. Upon insertion, the core wire actuates the anchoring mechanism to anchor the guide wire at an anchoring location

A steerable guide wire and/or a catheter device and associated method. The device includes a guide wire having a distal end, a hollow interior, and an anchoring mechanism positioned proximate to the distal end of the guide wire. The device further includes a core wire is slidably inserted into the hollow interior of the guide wire. Upon insertion, the core wire actuates the anchoring mechanism to anchor the guide wire at an anchoring location.

In one exemplary embodiment, an endovascular device may include a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and sized for insertion into a blood vessel. The endovascular device may also include a control line having a proximal end and a distal end, and extending through the hollow shaft. The endovascular device may also include an actuatable working element located proximate the distal end of the hollow shaft, and configured to receive an actuation force transmitted via the distal end of the control line. The endovascular device may further include an actuator configured to exert the actuation force on the proximal end of the control line, to thereby cause relative movement between the control line and the hollow shaft and to actuate the working element. The hollow shaft may also include a cable formed of a plurality of wound wires and including a proximal segment, at least one transition segment, and a distal segment. The proximal segment, at least one transition segment, and distal segment may include different numbers of wires.

A microtube guide has a microtube combined with a free-floating and removable core. The microtube is generally hollow with a tube shaft and a distal ring, the tube shaft and the distal ring formed from flexible plastic. The distal ring is conformable to the core and straightenable for insertion into a patient's body, and deploys when the core is withdrawn to form a loop. The core is received by the microtube and is configured to advance into the distal ring to cause a diameter of the distal ring to expand, retract, or straighten. The core comprises a tapered segment that tapers in outer diameter from the diameter of the main core wire to a smaller diameter. A distal end segment of microtubing is frictionally affixed to the tapered segment.

A device to assist with the ease and sterility of insertion of catheters and other elongate, flexible medical devices is disclosed. It includes two one-way valves that may be reciprocated with respect to each other. Some variations may include a demount gap which may be continuously opened or may be controllable opened and closed.

Devices used to provide access the vasculature are disclosed. The devices may be configured to provide access to a blood vessel, such as an artery. The devices may include a catheter assembly disposed over a needle assembly. The devices may also include a barrel assembly coupled to the needle assembly. A guidewire may be displaceable by barrel assembly within a needle. The needle may include a proximal and distal port.

A device (10) which serves as a stiff guide wire for surgical procedures includes a tube (12) having an internal channel, and a central rod (14) in close-fitting sliding engagement within the tube. The tips of the tube and the central rod are in rigid mechanical engagement or interconnection. A region of the tube (112) is longitudinally slotted to form deflectable strips (18) so that advancing of the tube (12) relative to central the rod (14) causes outward deflection of the strips (18) to form an anchoring configuration. The central rod (14) and the tube (12) together define a stiff guide wire preferably having a length-to-width ratio in excess of 100:1.

A steerable guide wire and/or a catheter device and associated method. The device includes a guide wire having a distal end, a hollow interior, and an anchoring mechanism positioned proximate to the distal end of the guide wire. The device further includes a core wire is slidably inserted into the hollow interior of the guide wire. Upon insertion, the core wire actuates the anchoring mechanism to anchor the guide wire at an anchoring location.

Intraluminal and endovascular devices and methods of manufacturing intraluminal and endovascular devices may be provided. In one implementation, an intraluminal device may include a sheath having a flexible distal bending segment and a core wire arranged within the sheath. The core wire may include a distal end portion doubled back in a loop within the sheath such that the distal tip of the core wire is situated proximally from the loop. The intraluminal device may also include a movement restrictor within the sheath that is configured to limit axial movement of the distal tip of the core wire. Limiting the axial movement of the core wire distal tip may cause the loop of the core wire to buckle, resulting in a bend in the distal bending segment of the sheath, when a force is exerted on the core wire.

An endovascular device including a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and sized for insertion into a blood vessel, may be provided. The endovascular device may also include a control line configured to extend through the hollow shaft and an actuatable working portion situated distally from the distal end of the hollow shaft and configured to receive an actuation force transmitted via the control line. The endovascular device may further include an actuator configured to exert the actuation force on the control line to cause relative movement between the control line and the hollow shaft and to actuate the working portion. The endovascular device may also include a rotation restriction barrier configured to substantially impede the control line from rotating relative to the working portion, while permitting relative axial movement between the control line and the hollow shaft.