Dimpled Guidewire Joint for Fibrous CTO Crossing and Torque Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional guidewires for angioplasty and stent delivery lack sufficient distal support and steerability, often causing vessel damage and difficulty navigating tortuous vasculature due to abrupt stiffness changes and limited torqueability.
Innovation Solution
A guidewire design featuring a radiopaque inner coil and a non-radiopaque outer coil with a smooth transition region, enhanced torque response, and a parabolic grind profile for improved flexibility and tactile feedback, along with a micro-J shape distal tip and dimpled solder joint for increased maneuverability and reduced risk of damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional guidewires use tapered distal sections to improve steerability, then ease of operation is improved, but distal support is reduced causing insufficient vessel straightening
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire is divided into distinct functional segments: a distal section with first properties for steerability and a proximal section with second properties for distal support. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized independently, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the guidewire are given different physical properties tailored to their specific functions. The distal section has properties optimized for navigation and steerability, while the proximal section has properties optimized for providing distal support and vessel straightening, eliminating the need for compromise.
2Strength
If guidewire stiffness is increased to improve distal support, then strength is improved, but steerability deteriorates and vessel damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire structure is segmented into distinct sections with different stiffness characteristics. The distal section maintains lower stiffness for steerability while the proximal section provides higher stiffness for distal support, resolving the contradiction between strength and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Each section of the guidewire is engineered with locally optimized properties: the distal section has quality characteristics suited for navigation through tortuous vasculature, while the proximal section has quality characteristics suited for providing support and straightening, eliminating the need to compromise either property.
3Ease of manufacture
If uniform stiffness is used throughout the guidewire to simplify manufacturing, then ease of manufacture is improved, but torqueability and tactile feedback are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The guidewire is manufactured as segmented sections with different properties rather than as a uniform structure. This segmentation approach maintains manufacturing feasibility while enabling optimized torqueability and tactile feedback in each section, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A guidewire for use in intravascular procedures has a solder or weld joint at a distal end thereof. A plurality of dimples are formed on the solder/weld joint to increase the engagement and penetration of fibrous material including chronic total occlusions (CTO).