Patent ID: 6027461
Filing Date: 2000-02-22
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A flexible elongated medical infusion guidewire having guidewire proximal and distal portions enclosing an infusion lumen and extending between proximal and distal guidewire ends, the guidewire adapted to be introduced through a selected path in a patient's body to a site in a blood vessel or body cavity for infusing a drug or agent through the infusion lumen and into the blood vessel or body cavity, the infusion guidewire further comprising:an elongated, tubular outer sheath of substantially constant outer diameter having an outer sheath lumen formed therein extending between said guidewire proximal and distal ends, said outer sheath having a plurality of infusion ports formed through the outer sheath side wall and distributed along an infusate length of said guidewire distal portion;a flexible, elongated, tubular, proximal inner sheath having an inner sheath lumen formed therein and having an inner sheath lumen diameter and an inner sheath lumen length, said inner sheath disposed within said outer sheath lumen and extending from said guidewire proximal end and distally through said guidewire proximal portion to a distal inner sheath end, said inner sheath lumen defining said infusion lumen through said guidewire proximal portion;an elongated, helically wound, distal wire coil having a distal wire coil lumen formed therein and having a distal wire coil inner diameter and distal wire coil length, said distal wire coil disposed within said outer sheath lumen and extending from a distal wire coil distal end at said guidewire distal end and proximally through said guidewire distal portion and terminating at a distal wire coil proximal end thereof at a junction with said distal inner sheath end, said distal wire coil lumen axially aligned with said inner sheath lumen at said junction by said tubular outer sheath and defining said infusion lumen through said guidewire distal portion, said distal wire coil having spaced apart wire coil turns defining an elongated helical spacing along said infusate length of said guidewire distal portion;an elongated stiffening core wire having a proximal core wire end and a distal core wire end positioned within said infusion lumen to extend therein from said guidewire proximal end to said guidewire distal end, said core wire having a proximal core wire section with a proximal core wire diameter smaller than said inner sheath lumen diameter in said guidewire proximal portion, a distal core wire section with a distal core wire diameter smaller than said proximal core wire diameter in said guidewire distal portion and an intermediate core wire section having a tapered core wire diameter that decreases from said proximal core wire diameter to said distal core wire diameter;means for attaching said distal core wire end to said distal wire coil end; anda hub formed at the guidewire proximal end for infusing fluids into said infusion lumen and for coupling said proximal core wire end to said proximal ends of said outer and inner tubular sheaths and disposed within said infusion lumen for minimally obstructing said infusion lumen through the length of said infusion lumen,whereby fluids infused into said hub under pressure flow through said infusion lumen alongside said core wire, through the elongated helical spacing between the wire coil turns, and through the plurality of infusion ports to infuse the fluid into the blood vessel or body cavity exterior of said outer sheath distal portion along said infusate length thereof.