Patent ID: 8298160
Filing Date: 2012-10-30
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An assembly for use by an operator in performing a medical procedure in a lumen of a patient comprising an over-the-wire configured catheter and a wire for use in deploying the over-the-wire configured catheter, the wire comprising: an elongate cylindrical body having a distal end, a proximal end and a location of fracturability, the elongate cylindrical body being formed from a single continuous piece of material having a cross-sectional shape defined by the intersection of the elongate cylindrical body with a plane perpendicular to an axis of the elongate cylindrical body, the cross-sectional shape being substantially constant between the proximal end and the location of fracturability and between the distal end and the location of fracturability; a full length of the elongate cylindrical body defined from the distal end to the proximal end, a partial length of the elongate cylindrical body defined from the distal end to the location of fracturability, the elongate cylindrical body being configured to fracture outside of the lumen at the location of fracturability upon application by the operator to the elongate cylindrical body of a sufficient amount of bending stress, the sufficient amount of bending stress being selected to be greater than a maximum bending stress to which the elongate cylindrical body is subjected during the medical procedure within the lumen, and less than an amount of bending stress required to fracture the elongate cylindrical body at portions of the elongate cylindrical body proximally and distally adjacent to the location of fracturability; wherein the partial length of the elongate cylindrical body is within a range of between 160 centimeters and 200 centimeters.