Guidewire having a helically contoured portion
A guidewire having a contoured outer surface and methods of making and using the same. The guidewire may include a core wire or member and a jacket disposed over the core member. The jacket may include a contoured outer surface or helically-oriented channel or groove formed therein.
1 . A medical device, comprising:
an elongate core member;
a polymer jacket disposed over at least a portion of the core member, the polymer jacket having a textured outer surface; and
wherein the textured outer surface is defined by a helical groove formed in the outer surface of the polymer jacket.
2 . The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a coating disposed over the polymer jacket.
3 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the helical groove has rounded edges.
4 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the polymer jacket is free of a coil.
5 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the helical groove is positioned proximally of a distal tip of the medical device.
6 . An intravascular guidewire, comprising:
an elongate core member having a proximal end region and a distal end region;
a polymer jacket disposed over the distal end region of the core member, the polymer jacket having a textured outer surface; and
wherein the textured outer surface is defined by a helical channel formed in the outer surface of the polymer jacket.
7 . The guidewire of claim 6 , further comprising a coating disposed over the polymer jacket.
8 . The guidewire of claim 6 , wherein the helical channel has rounded edges.
9 . The guidewire of claim 6 , wherein the polymer jacket is free of a coil.
10 . The guidewire of claim 6 , wherein the textured outer surface of the polymer jacket is positioned proximally a distance from a distal end of the polymer jacket.
11 . The guidewire of claim 10 , wherein the textured outer surfaced is positioned about 2 to about 20 centimeters from the distal end of the polymer jacket.
12 . A method for manufacturing a medical device, comprising the steps of:
providing a core member having a proximal region and a distal region;
disposing a polymer jacket over the distal region of the core member, the polymer jacket having an outer surface;
winding a coil over the polymer jacket;
heating the polymer jacket so that the coil alters the outer surface of the polymer jacket; and
removing the coil from the polymer jacket.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of winding a coil over the polymer jacket includes winding the coil under tension over the polymer jacket.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket precedes the step of winding a coil over the polymer jacket.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket follows the step of winding a coil over the polymer jacket.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket follows the step of removing the coil from the polymer jacket.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket includes disposing the coating over the altered surface of the polymer jacket.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the polymer jacket follows the altered surface of the polymer jacket.
20 . A method for manufacturing a medical device, comprising the steps of:
providing a core member;
disposing a polymer jacket over the core member, the polymer jacket having an outer surface;
winding a coil over the polymer jacket, wherein the coil is wound under tension;
heating the polymer jacket so that the coil tension is relieved and the coil embeds within the outer surface of the polymer jacket; and
removing the coil from the jacket, thereby leaving a helically-contoured groove corresponding to where the coil was embedded in the polymer jacket.
21 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket precedes the step of winding a coil over the polymer jacket.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket follows the step of winding a coil over the polymer jacket.
24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket follows the step of removing the coil from the polymer jacket.
25 . The method of claim 24 , wherein the step of disposing a coating over the polymer jacket includes disposing the coating over the altered surface of the polymer jacket.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the polymer jacket follows the altered surface of the polymer jacket.
27 . The method of claim 20 , further comprising a second heating step.
28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the second heating step occurs after the step of removing the coil from the polymer jacket.
29 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the second heating step smoothes the helically-contoured groove.
30 . A method for manufacturing a medical device, comprising the steps of:
providing a core member;
disposing a polymer jacket over the core member, the polymer jacket having an outer surface;
winding a coil over the polymer jacket, wherein the coil is wound under tension;
embedding the coil within the outer surface of the polymer jacket; and
removing the coil from the jacket, thereby leaving a helically-contoured groove in the polymer jacket at a position corresponding to where the coil was embedded in the polymer jacket.
31 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising the step of heating the helically-contoured groove.
32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the step of embedding the coil within the outer surface of the polymer jacket includes heating.