System and methods for intracranial vessel access
View Patent ↗The invention relates to systems and methods for intracranial vessel access. In particular, the systems include a system including a co-axial combination of a steerable variable thickness microwire operatively supporting a tapered larger bore support and a larger bore distal access catheter. The methods for intracranial vessel access include methods of advancing the system through vasculature.
1 . An intracranial access system comprising:
a core wire; and
a support overlying the core wire, the support comprising:
a proximal section having a first diameter;
an expanded section distal to the proximal section and having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter, wherein the expanded section is a cylindrical surface, and wherein the core wire is substantially centered within the cylindrical surface of the expanded section;
a first transition zone between the proximal section and the expanded section, wherein the first transition zone increases in diameter between the proximal section and the expanded section;
a distal section distal to the expanded section having a third diameter that is less than the second diameter; and
a second transition zone between the expanded section and the distal section, wherein the second transition zone decreases in diameter between the expanded section and the distal section;
wherein the distal section comprises an elongated atraumatic coating enclosing a distal tip of the core wire.
2 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , wherein the distal section tapers to form a closed distal tip of the support.
3 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , further comprising a distal access catheter, and wherein the proximal section, the expanded section, and the distal section of the support and the core wire are movable within a lumen of the distal access catheter.
4 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , wherein the first transition zone has a first length, wherein the second transition zone has a second length, and wherein the first length is greater than the second length.
5 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is greater than the third diameter.
6 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter is approximately 0.035 inch, the second diameter is approximately 0.058 inch, and the third diameter is between 0.014 inch and 0.016 inch.
7 . The intracranial access system of claim 1 , wherein a length of the distal section is between 12 cm and 24 cm and wherein a length of the expanded section is approximately 8 cm.
8 . An intracranial access system comprising:
a core wire; and
a support means overlying the core wire;
wherein the support means comprises a proximal section having a first diameter;
wherein the support means comprises a substantially cylindrical expanded section distal to the proximal section and having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter, wherein the substantially cylindrical expanded section is substantially centered on the core wire;
wherein the support means comprises a distal section distal to the substantially cylindrical expanded section, the distal section being comprised of an atraumatic coating, wherein the atraumatic coating tapers to define a closed distal tip, wherein the closed distal tip encloses a distal tip of the core wire; and,
wherein the support means comprises a transition zone between the proximal section and the substantially cylindrical expanded section of the support means, wherein the transition zone increases in diameter between the proximal section and the substantially cylindrical expanded section.