An introducer assembly includes a catheter having a proximal end, a distal end extending to a distal tip of the introducer assembly, and an outer catheter wall. The catheter includes a medical device holding portion proximate the distal end, a guide wire lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a side opening extending through the outer wall to the guide wire lumen. The side opening and the guide wire lumen are simultaneously open and the guide wire lumen and side opening are able to receive a guide wire therethrough. The catheter is flexible at least in the location of the side opening. The catheter also includes a plurality of one stiffening mandrel lumens extending from the proximal end and a plurality of stiffening mandrels.

An intraluminal guide wire may include an elongated shaft extending between a distal and a proximal end. The guide wire may include a user actuation segment positioned proximal to the proximal end of the shaft and configured for movement relative to the shaft. The guide wire may include a core wire affixed to the user actuation segment and the distal end of the shaft. The guide wire may also include an inner member having a proximal end situated at least partially within and fixed relative to the user actuation segment and a distal end situated partially within the shaft, the core wire passing through the inner member. The guide wire may be configured with a distal segment of the inner member within the shaft exhibiting a friction-based restraint on movement within the shaft. The friction-based restraint on movement may be a frictional force between the inner member and the shaft.

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.

An introducer assembly (10) includes a catheter (12) having a proximal end (14), a distal end (16) extending to a distal tip of the introducer assembly, and an outer catheter wall. The catheter (12) includes a medical device holding portion (34) proximate the distal end, a guide wire lumen (100) extending between the proximal and distal ends, and a side opening (50) extending through the outer wall to the guide wire lumen. The side opening (50) and the guide wire lumen (100) are simultaneously open and the guide wire lumen and side opening are able to receive a guide wire therethrough. The catheter (12) is flexible at least in the location of the side opening, such that a guide wire (28) fed from the distal end (16) can pass through to the proximal end (14) when the catheter is substantially straight and can pass from the distal end through the side opening (50) when the catheter is curved at the location of the side opening. The catheter (12) also includes a plurality of one stiffening mandrel lumens (104, 106) extending from the proximal end (14) and a plurality of stiffening mandrels sized to fit within the stiffening mandrel lumens and in some forms able to slide therewithin and in other forms enclosed within the stiffening mandrel lumens. The mandrels have different lengths disposed along the length of the catheter and can be of substantially uniform diameter.

A guide wire includes: a core shaft; an engagement part provided in outer circumference of the core shaft; a cylindrical body provided in an outside of the core shaft and movable along an axis line direction of the core shaft; and an engaged part that is provided in the cylindrical body, and engages with the engagement part when the cylindrical body moves in a first direction along the axis line direction of the core shaft to regulate further movement of the cylindrical body in the first direction.

A steerable guidewire. The steerable guidewire is fabricated includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a hub, and a distal articulating region. The steerable guidewire hub can be removed to permit advancement of catheters over its proximal end followed by re-attachment of the hub to permit deflection of the distal end of the steerable guidewire.

This invention is a transvascularly placed steerable guidewire, further including internal steerability and the ability to articulate in a direction at right angles to its longitudinal axis at or near its distal end. The steerable guidewire is generally fabricated from stainless steel and includes an outer tube, an inner tube, hub structures, and a distal articulating region. The steerable guidewire can be advanced through a body lumen in its straight configuration and then be selectively articulated or curved to permit negotiation of tortuous curvature. The steerable guidewire hub can be removed to permit advancement of catheters over its proximal end followed by re-attachment of the hub to permit deflection of the distal end of the steerable guidewire. Removal of the hub can result in a limp guidewire or maintenance of a forced curvature of the distal end of the guidewire.

A guide wire is disclosed for guiding a tubular elongated body to be inserted into a living body can include: an elongated shaft portion that has flexibility; a puncture portion that is disposed at a distal end portion of the shaft portion and forms a hole in a biological tissue; and a cover portion that is formed of a wire member wound in a spiral shape, has a contraction portion that is contractible, and covers the puncture portion. The contraction portion is capable of causing the puncture portion to protrude from the cover portion by contracting the contraction portion in a linear state. When the contraction portion is in a curved state, the contraction portion is restricted in contraction so that the puncture portion does not protrude from the cover portion by contact of adjacent wire members on a concave side.

Guide wire apparatuses and methods. Guide wires may be utilized for guiding a delivery apparatus, for example a transcatheter mitral valve delivery apparatus to replace a native mitral valve. A guide wire may include a core body having a length, and an outer layer having a length and extending around the core body and along the length of the core body. A guide wire may include an intermediate layer positioned between the core body and the outer layer and configured to be retracted relative to the core body and the outer layer along the length of the core body and the length of the outer layer.

Devices for restoring blood flow to facilitate lysis of clots and/or enable capture of clots are disclosed. The devices can be configured to be disposed within a lumen of a microcatheter that is inserted within neurovasculature above a carotid siphon to a location of a clot. The devices can include an elongate pusher member and a self-expandable capturing member coupled to a distal end of the elongate pusher member. The capturing member can comprise a generally cylindrical body having an cell structure that is configured to compress the clot against an inner wall of the neurovasculature and capture the clot at least partially on a surface of the generally cylindrical body upon deployment of the capturing member from the microcatheter, thereby restoring blood flow to the neurovasculature downstream of the clot.