Patent ID: 8827926
Filing Date: 2014-09-09
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. A guide wire comprising: an elongated wire body and an X-ray image producible radiopaque part, the elongated wire body possessing a distal end portion and extending in a lengthwise direction, the elongated wire body possessing an outer surface, the radiopaque part being located at the distal end portion of the wire body; the radiopaque part comprising a radiopaque member composed of an X-ray image producible metallic material which is adapted to produce an X-ray image under radioscopy, the radiopaque member being arranged outside the wire body and in the lengthwise direction of the wire body; the radiopaque part also comprising a resin coating layer covering the radiopaque member, at least a part of the resin coating layer covering the radiopaque member containing X-ray image producible radiopaque metallic particles adapted to produce an X-ray image under radioscopy; the radiopaque part being divided into at least a first radiopaque region, a second radiopaque region, and a third radiopaque region which are sequentially arranged each immediately after one another in the lengthwise direction of the wire body such that the second radiopaque region is positioned between the first and third radiopaque regions; the radiopaque member being located in each of the first, second and third radiopaque regions; the second radiopaque region possessing a lesser X-ray image producing capability than the first radiopaque region and the third radiopaque region; the lesser X-ray image producing capability of the second radiopaque region relative to the first radiopaque region being due at least in part to the radiopaque member in the second radiopaque region being arranged less densely than that the radiopaque member in the first radiopaque region, and the resin coating layer in the second radiopaque region containing a lesser amount of the X-ray image producible radiopaque material than the resin coating layer in the first radiopaque region, the radiopaque member in the second radiopaque region that is arranged less densely including axially adjacent helical windings that are axially spaced apart from one another so that a gap exists between the axially adjacent helical windings; the first radiopaque region including a distal most portion of the radiopaque member, and the radiopaque member in the first radiopaque region comprising a helical winding in which axially adjacent helical windings are in direct contact with one another, wherein the helical winding directly contacts the elongated wire body; the resin coating layer comprising a more distally located coating layer corresponding to the first radiopaque region so that the more distally located coating layer is the part of the resin coating layer located in the first radiopaque region, a more proximally located coating layer corresponding to the third radiopaque region so that the more proximally located coating layer is the part of the resin coating layer located in the third radiopaque region, and an intermediately located coating layer corresponding to the second radiopaque region so that the intermediately located coating layer is the part of the resin coating layer located in the second radiopaque region, the intermediately located coating layer containing a lesser amount of the X-ray producible radiopaque material than the more distally located coating layer, and the intermediately located coating layer containing a lesser amount of the X-ray producible radiopaque material than the more proximally located coating layer, the intermediately located coating layer filling the gaps between the axially adjacent helical windings and directly contacting the outer surface of the elongated wire body.