Rod-shaped body

Abstract

The invention relates to a rod-shaped body comprised of one or more filaments and of a non-ferromagnetic matrix material. The matrix material surrounds the filament(s) and/or adheres them to one another. The rod-shaped body is also comprised of a dopant consisting of particles that generate magnetic resonance tomographic artifacts that is introduced into the matrix material. Rod-shaped bodies of this type can be used to construct guide wires, catheters and other instruments to be used in minimally invasive surgical interventions.

Claims

1. A guidewire comprising of: at least one rod-shaped body consisting essentially of: one or more non-metallic filaments; and a non-ferromagnetic matrix material, wherein the non-ferromagnetic matrix material encloses and/or agglutinates the one or more non-metallic filaments; a non-ferromagnetic shell material, wherein the shell material encloses and/or agglutinates the at least one rod-shaped body, and a multiplicity of doping particles capable of generating magnetic resonance tomography artefacts.

2. The guidewire according to claim 1 comprising several rod-shaped bodies having the same diameter or different diameters.

3. The guidewire according to claim 1 comprising several rod-shaped bodies wherein a first rod-shaped body of the at least one rod-shaped body is surrounded with at least one secondary rod-shaped body of the at least one rod-shaped body, the at least one secondary rod-shaped body having a smaller diameter.

4. The guidewire according to claim 1, comprising several rod-shaped bodies, wherein the rod-shaped bodies are braided with each other, woven, cross-linked, twisted or coiled.

5. The guidewire according to claim 1, comprising several different rod-shaped bodies wherein the different rod-shaped bodies possess different dopings.

6. The guidewire according to claim 1 having an outer surface and wherein the outer surface is covered with a hydrophilic coating.

7. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein the multiplicity of doping particles are included in the non-ferromagnetic matrix material and/or in the non-ferromagnetic shell material.

8. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-metallic filaments consist of plastic and/or glass fibre.

9. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein the non-ferromagnetic matrix material comprises epoxy resin.

10. The guidewire according to claim 1 wherein the doping particles are included continuously along a longitudinal axis of the guidewire.

11. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein the doping particles are included discontinuously along a longitudinal axis of the guidewire.

12. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein the one or more non-metallic filaments are arranged in parallel.

13. The guidewire according to claim 1, wherein at least one rod-shaped body of the guidewire consists essentially of more than one non-metallic filaments, wherein the non-metallic filaments are braided with each other, woven, cross-linked, twisted or coiled.

14. A catheter comprising: at least one rod-shaped body, consisting essentially of: one or more non-metallic filaments; and a non-ferromagnetic matrix material, wherein the non-ferromagnetic matrix material encloses and/or agglutinates the one or more non-metallic filaments; a non-ferromagnetic shell material, wherein the shell material encloses and/or agglutinates the at least one rod-shaped body, and a multiplicity of doping particles capable of generating magnetic resonance tomography artefacts.

15. The catheter according to claim 14, comprising several rod-shaped bodies that are peripherally embedded in a radial distribution in the catheter.

16. The catheter according to claim 14, wherein the at least one rod-shaped body is embedded in a regular radial distribution.

17. The catheter according to claim 14, comprising several rod-shaped bodies wherein the rod-shaped bodies have the same or different diameters.

18. The catheter according to claim 14, comprising several different rod-shaped bodies wherein the different rod-shaped bodies possess different dopings.

19. The catheter according to claim 14, having an outer surface wherein the outer surface is covered with a hydrophilic coating.

20. The catheter according to claim 14, wherein the multiplicity of doping particles are included in the non-ferromagnetic matrix material and/or in the non-ferromagnetic shell material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 shows a doped rod of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 shows a cylindrical composite body (guidewire).

(3) FIG. 3 shows a tube-shaped composite body (catheter).

(4) FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a doped rod.

(5) FIG. 5 shows the tip of a guidewire.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) The rod 1 and section of a rod respectively shown in FIG. 1 consist of an elongated glass fibre filament 2 which is embedded in epoxy resin 3 as the matrix material. The rod 1 can be produced using common techniques, particularly by extrusion so as to be virtually endless. After extrusion it may be cut to the length required for further processing.

(7) Particles producing magnetic resonance tomographic artefacts, e.g. nanoparticles,—not shown—are included in the epoxy resin. These are homogenously distributed in the matrix material so that a rod 1 homogenously doped along its longitudinal axis results.

(8) As shown in FIG. 4 instead of one filament also several filaments 4, 5 can be arranged in a rod-shaped body 1. In the example shown this is a rather thick filament 4 and arranged around this are rather thin filaments 5. All filaments 4, 5 are agglutinated with and encompassed by the epoxy resin 3.

(9) In FIG. 2, a cylindrical composite body 6 and a section of this are shown. The lengthwise extension can be significantly longer, amounting to e.g. several meters with a diameter of e.g. 0.1 mm.

(10) The cylindrical composite body 6 is constructed from several rods 1 which are agglutinated and enclosed by a matrix material 7, e.g. an epoxy resin. This matrix material 7 is, in contrast to the matrix material 3, not doped with particles producing magnetic resonance tomographic artefacts. The visibility of the cylindrical composite body 6 in the MRT relies solely on the visibility of the embedded rods 1. In the depicted embodiment, rods 1, 8, 9 with different dopings are included so that, depending on the sequence, different rods 1, 8, 9 become visible in the MRT.

(11) In the same way, as shown in FIG. 3, a tube-shaped composite body 10 can also be constructed (once again only a section is shown here).

(12) The tube-shaped composite body 10 is similarly constructed from a shell material 15 and several rods 1, 8, 9 with different doping. All rods are evenly distributed around 10 the periphery of the tube-shaped composite body 10.

(13) The cylindrical composite body 6 as well as the tube-shaped composite body 10 can be covered with a hydrophilic coating, which is not shown.

(14) The ends of the cylindrical and tube-shaped composite bodies 6, 10 can be treated in an appropriate manner, e.g. rounded, polished or capped. As shown in FIG. 5, particularly the inner rod 12, in a guidewire 11 with an inner rod 12 and radially distributed outer rods 13, can be shorter than the outer rods 13. These are brought together and form a tip 14 (arrangement of the rods 12 and 13 as displayed in the cross-sections A-A and B-B respectively).