Medical appliances including reinforcing bands and radiopaque marker bands are disclosed. In some embodiments, bands may comprise two or more material layers. A first layer may control the mechanical properties of a multilayered marking band, and a second layer may exhibit greater radiopacity than the first layer. Bands may also comprise a single layer.

Medical devices for accessing the central nervous system, as well as making and using medical devices, are disclosed. An example medical device may include an expandable access sheath having a proximal end region and a distal end region. The expandable access sheath may be designed to shift between a first configuration and an expanded configuration. The expandable access sheath may include a tubular body having one or more axial support members disposed along the tubular body. The medical device may include an expansion member designed to shift the expandable access sheath between the first configuration and the expanded configuration.

Three groups of guidewire embodiments are described with particularly suitable structures for navigating circuitous vessels, especially blood vessels of the brain. Some of the guidewires have a hyperbolic taper that provides desired flexibility. In some embodiments, an integrated guide structure provides for extension in the blood vessel of a corewire to provide for extended reach of the guidewire. In further embodiments, the guidewire has a flexible tip that can be guided directly by the flow in the vessel.

A guide wire of the present disclosure includes a core shaft having a distal end portion decreasing in cross-sectional area, 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 cross-sectional area portion, a large cross-sectional area portion, and a tapered portion between the small cross-sectional area portion and the large cross-sectional area 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 cross-sectional area portion, a second bending rigidity FR2 of the small cross-sectional area 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).sup.0.25/L≥0.83  (1)
1≤L≤3  (2)

A device (10) for capturing a guide wire (50) comprises a snaring device (20, 30) and an auxiliary catheter (40). The auxiliary catheter (40) is configured to slidingly accommodate the guide wire to be caught so as to extend a distal end (47) thereof beyond the distal end of the guide wire in order to be caught by the snaring device (20, 30) while the guide wire (50) is in a retracted position in the auxiliary catheter (40). The auxiliary catheter preferably comprises a portion which is at least partially echo-transparent and/or radio-transparent and an end portion (44) which is radio-opaque and/or echo-opaque.

A guide wire of the present disclosure includes a core shaft having a distal end portion decreasing 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).

An intraluminal sensing device includes a catheter or a guidewire with a flexible elongate member that is positioned within a body lumen of a patient. The device also includes a sensor disposed at a distal portion of the flexible elongate member. The sensor obtains medical data associated with the body lumen while the flexible elongate member is positioned within the body lumen. The sensor is an ultrasound transducer, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, and/or a temperature sensor. The device further includes a radiopaque marker coupled to the flexible elongate member. The radiopaque marker is an ultraviolet (UV) radiation-cured product of a mixture that includes a radiopaque material, an electromagnetic-radiation-curable adhesive, and a photoinitiator. The solution of the mixture is applied directly to the flexible elongate member and UV radiation-cured to form the radiopaque marker. The radiopaque marker is a band extending around a perimeter of the flexible elongate member.

A delivery guide wire (10,100) and a therapeutic device are disclosed. The therapeutic device includes the delivery guide wire (10, 100), a medical implant and a delivery catheter (20). The delivery guide wire (10, 100) includes a core shaft (110) and a driving member (120) disposed on the core shaft (110), and the driving member (120) defines thereon a depression. The medical implant is compressed by the delivery catheter (20) and disposed over the delivery guide wire (10,100) in such a manner that it is at least partially received in the depression. This results in an increased contact area between the medical implant and the delivery guide wire (10, 100), which facilitates movement of the medical implant in sync with the delivery guide wire (10, 100) and makes its delivery easier.

The present invention relates to a delivery guidewire and a therapeutic treatment device including the delivery guidewire. The delivery guidewire includes a core shaft and a driving member arranged on the core shaft, and the driving member includes inner and outer components. The inner component is made of a metal and fixedly sleeved over the core shaft, and the outer component is made of a polymeric material and fixedly sleeved over the inner component. The inner component fixedly sleeved over the core shaft indirectly enhances attachment of the outer component to the core shaft, thus reducing the risk of loosening, wrinkling or displacement of the outer component and resulting in improved safety and reliability of the delivery guidewire during use.

A delivery guidewire for navigating a catheter in the heart to deliver a valve prosthesis. The delivery guidewire comprising an elongated core, an outer sleeve disposed on the elongated core, and a coil disposed on a distal portion of the elongated core. The delivery guidewire having a first section having a generally uniform diameter and a second section having a tapering section. A distal portion of the second section of the delivery guidewire comprises a pigtail shape atraumatic tip which can remain in the left ventricle.