Guide Wire Distal End Joint Radiopacity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guide wires made of stainless steel have poor visibility during X-ray irradiation due to high X-ray transmission, making it difficult to visualize the distal end portion effectively.
Innovation Solution
A guide wire design featuring a core shaft, a spirally wound coil made of radiopaque material like tungsten, and a distal end joint part with a dispersion and high concentration region of tungsten to enhance visibility, integrated by melting and joining the core shaft and coil ends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the distal end is made of stainless steel, then the guide wire structure is simple and manufacturable, but the visibility during X-ray irradiation is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining stainless steel (second material) with radiopaque material (first material such as tungsten or barium) in the distal end joint part. This creates a composite structure where the radiopaque material is dispersed within or combined with the stainless steel, providing both structural integrity and enhanced X-ray visibility. The composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the radiopaque material specifically in the distal end joint part rather than throughout the entire guide wire. The dispersion portion and high concentration region create localized areas of enhanced radiopacity at the distal end, improving visibility where it is most needed while maintaining the overall simplicity and manufacturability of the stainless steel guide wire structure.
2Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If radiopaque material is added to improve visibility, then visibility during X-ray irradiation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The radiopaque material is localized specifically to the distal end joint part, creating a dispersion portion and high concentration region only where needed for visibility. This localized approach improves X-ray visibility without requiring radiopaque material throughout the entire guide wire, thereby minimizing the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the radiopaque material with the stainless steel structure in the distal end joint part, where the radiopaque material is dispersed within or combined with the stainless steel. This merging approach integrates the visibility enhancement function into the existing structural component, avoiding the need for separate radiopaque elements and reducing overall device complexity.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If the distal end joint part encloses the coil with high radiopaque material concentration, then visibility is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs parameter changes by creating a gradient in radiopaque material concentration within the distal end joint part, with a dispersion portion and a high concentration region. This gradual parameter change allows for optimized visibility without requiring abrupt material transitions, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while still achieving enhanced X-ray visibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Improves visibility of the distal end portion during X-ray irradiation, enhancing visualization and joint strength between the core shaft and coil.
Implementation Method 1
a first material that is radiopaque is dispersed
Implementation Method 2
the distal end joint part may be formed by melting and joining a distal end portion of the core shaft and a distal end portion of the coil
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present disclosure is to provide a guide wire that is capable of improving a visibility of a distal end portion thereof during X-ray irradiation. The guide wire includes a core shaft, a coil made up of a strand that is spirally wound to cover an outer periphery of the core shaft, and a distal end joint part that joins a distal end of the core shaft and a distal end of the coil. The distal end joint part has a dispersion portion in which a radiopaque first material is dispersed.