Method and apparatus for manipulating a surgical guidewire

1. An apparatus for manipulating a guidewire for use in an endovascular procedure comprising:

a housing sized to fit in a palm of a user;

an axle carried by the housing, the axle including an axially extending passage which is configured to allow a guidewire to be placed therethrough;

a chuck coupled to the axle, the chuck selectively lockable to the guidewire;

an actuator coupled to the chuck, the actuator configured to impart rotary motive force to the chuck;

a switch for controlling the actuator, the switch operable by the user while the user holds the housing; and

wherein the chuck is configured to simultaneously impart a linear movement and a rotary movement to the guidewire when the chuck is locked to the guidewire.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the switch is coupled to an exterior of the housing.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the chuck further comprises:

a coupler configured to receive the motive force from the actuator; and

a hub coupled to the coupler.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the coupler includes a window.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the chuck further comprises:

a wedge positioned within the window of the coupler and retained in the window by the hub, the wedge having an angled surface that interacts with the hub to move the wedge between a guidewire locked position and a guidewire unlocked position.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the hub comprises a dimpled surface for interacting with a protrusion, wherein the actuator imparts rotary motive force to the hub, and wherein the dimpled surface interacting with the protrusion produces linear motive force.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the coupler comprises a radially extending flange having a dimpled surface for interacting with a protrusion, wherein the actuator imparts rotary motive force to the coupler, and wherein the dimpled surface interacting with the protrusion produces linear motive force.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, coupled to the actuator, for controlling activation of the actuator.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller is programmed with a plurality of motive force patterns.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a plurality of gears to selectively impart rotary motive force in a counterclockwise direction and a clockwise direction.

11. An apparatus for manipulating a guidewire for use in an endovascular procedure comprising:

a housing sized to fit in a palm of a user;

an elongate drive tube configured to be rotated by the housing, the elongate drive tube including an axially extending passage which is configured to allow a guidewire to be placed therethrough;

a chuck coupled to the elongate drive tube, the chuck selectively lockable to the guidewire;

an actuator coupled to the chuck, the actuator configured to impart rotary motive force to the chuck; and

wherein the chuck is configured to simultaneously impart a linear movement and a rotary movement to the guidewire when the chuck is locked to the guidewire.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the chuck further comprises:

a coupler configured to receive the motive force from the actuator; and

a hub coupled to the coupler.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the hub comprises a dimpled surface for interacting with a protrusion, wherein the actuator imparts rotary motive force to the hub, and wherein the dimpled surface interacting with the protrusion produces linear motive force.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the coupler comprises a radially extending flange having a dimpled surface for interacting with a protrusion, wherein the actuator imparts rotary motive force to the coupler, and wherein the dimpled surface interacting with the protrusion produces linear motive force.

15. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a switch coupled to an exterior of the housing, the switch configured to control the rotation of the elongate drive tube.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the switch is configured to be operable by the user while the user holds the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the linear movement includes a linear oscillation of between 0.5 mm and 5 mm.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the linear movement includes a linear oscillation comprising a jackhammer type motion.

19. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a controller, coupled to the actuator, for controlling activation of the actuator.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the controller is programmed with a plurality of motive force patterns.