MATERIAL CAPTURING GUIDEWIRE
This disclosure discusses various methods and devices for capturing plaque that is to be removed from a blood vessel after the plaque has been separated from the blood vessel or remaining plaque.
1 . A guidewire for insertion into a blood vessel comprising:
an elongated member;
a roughened surface on the elongated member configured to attach plaque within a blood vessel to the elongated member; and
a plurality of protrusions extending radially from the roughened surface.
2 . The guidewire of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of protrusions extends toward a proximal end of the elongated member.
3 . The guidewire of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are tines.
4 . The guidewire of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions are barbs.
5 . The guidewire of claim 1 further comprising at least one flute within the roughened surface.
6 . The guidewire of claim 5 , wherein the at least one flute has a helical shape.
7 . The guidewire of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of notches within the roughened surface.
8 . The guidewire of claim 1 further comprising an expandable braided element coupled to the roughened surface.
9 . The guidewire of claim 1 further comprising an unroughened surface on the elongated member having a degree of roughness less than that of the roughened surface and wherein the unroughened surface is at a proximal portion of the elongated member and the roughened surface is at a distal portion of the elongated member.