A guidewire formed from drawn filled tubing having an inner core member encased in an outer layer. The inner core member is formed from a linear elastic or superelastic material and the outer layer is formed from a metal alloy such as 35N LT. A portion of the outer layer is ground down to form a feather edged joint between the outer layer and the inner core member.

A trans-atrial septal catheter system for delivery of a steerable sheath into the left atrium contains three components. The first component is a three-segmented needle-guide wire composed of a distal needle designed to flex sharply in relation to the conjoined looped guide wire segment after fossa ovalis puncture and needle advancement. The distal guide wire loops are advanced into the left atrium maintaining the angled needle in a central location relevant to the loops for preserving an atraumatic position while stabilizing the loops in the left atrium. The elongated proximal extra stiff guide wire segment is conjoined to the looped segment which crosses the fossa ovalis and extends proximally to become externalized to the femoral vein. This segment is extra stiff and significantly elongated to permit catheter and device exchanges. The guide wire serves as a support rail over which the dilator and sheath can be advanced into the left atrium. This transseptal system is uniquely forward looking and permits cautious and iterative delivery of the dilator into the fossa ovalis for “tenting” by way of a proximal sheath activator that interacts with the dilator. The proximal externalized GW is then advanced to permit puncture of the fossa ovalis. After puncturing a precise location of the fossa ovalis, the needle and coiled guide wire loops are further advanced into the left atrium. With the proximal activator, the dilator is advanced across the fossa ovalis into the left atrium using single-handed maneuvering for separate dilator advancement and steering of the sheath by way of turning or actuating the sheath handle.

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. Each aperture may be defined within a radiopaque reinforcing ring embedded within the tubular body. A first set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings may be separated axially from a second set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings and may be connected by a flexible hinge section.

The invention relates to catheter system for introducing an expandable heart valve stent (150) into the body of a patient, the catheter system comprising: a catheter tip (10) having a seat portion for accommodating the stent (150) in its collapsed state and a stent holder (15) for releasably fixing the stent (150), wherein the seat portion is constituted by a first sleeve-shaped member (11) and a second sleeve-shaped member (21), said sleeve-shaped members (11, 21) being moveable relative to each other and relative to the stent holder (15), and a catheter shaft (30) for connecting the catheter tip (10) to a handle (70). The catheter shaft (30) comprising: first force transmitting means (31) connected to the first sleeve-shaped member (11), second force transmitting means (41) connected to the second sleeve-shaped member (21) and a distal end section connectable to second operating means (81) of the handle (70), and guiding means (51) having a passageway extending there between, wherein the first and second force transmitting means (31, 41) are at least partly received within the passageway such as to be moveable relative to the guiding means (51), and wherein the proximal end of the guiding means (51) terminates distal to the catheter tip (10).

A guide extension catheter comprising a proximal reinforcing section that is completely surrounded by, or encased within, a polymer covering or coating the proximal reinforcing section, and further comprising an exemplary semi-circular flared section disposed proximal to the proximal reinforcing section, wherein the flare is interrupted by a flattened bottom. The proximal reinforcing section is configured to interconnect with a flat ribbon which is connected with or defines a proximally extending push rod. The proximal reinforcing section does not extend beyond the proximal-most end of the exemplary semi-circular flared section

A guidewire formed from a superelastic material has a proximal section and a distal section. In order to improve torque and pushability in the proximal section, a first wire is wound clockwise onto the proximal section to form a first coil and a second wire is wound counterclockwise onto the first coil to form a second coil.

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. Each aperture may be defined within a radiopaque reinforcing ring embedded within the tubular body. A first set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings may be separated axially from a second set of opposing pairs of reinforcing rings and may be connected by a flexible hinge section.

A guidewire having a proximal core wire formed from a first metal alloy is connected to a distal core wire formed from a second metal alloy. A tubular member is sized to receive an end of the proximal core wire and an end of the distal core wire in a butting configuration. The tubular member is attached to the proximal core wire and the distal core wire to form a joint connecting the two wires together.

This disclosure relates to a catheter system for introducing a heart valve stent into the body of a patient. The catheter system includes a catheter tip having a seat portion for accommodating the stent in its collapsed state and a stent holder for releasably fixing the stent, wherein the seat portion is constituted by a first sleeve and a second sleeve, said sleeves being moveable relative to each other and relative to the stent holder, and a catheter shaft for connecting the catheter tip to a handle.

A guide wire has a core shaft. The core shaft includes a body portion and a layered portion. The body portion contains a nickel-titanium-based alloy as a main component, the nickel-titanium-based alloy having a superelastic property. The layered portion includes an inner layer formed on a part of an outer peripheral face of the body portion and containing a nickel alloy as a main component, and an outer layer formed on the inner layer and containing a titanium oxide as a main component.