Patent ID: 7074197

Claim:
A guidewire, comprising: a proximal section having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the proximal section includes a flexibility transition region; a distal section comprising a linear-elastic nickel-titanium alloy, the distal section having a proximal end, wherein the proximal end of the distal section includes a flexibility transition region; a connector comprising a metal alloy having a Unified Numbering System (UNS) designation of N06625 or N10276, or a nickel-molybdenum alloy designated B-2, the connector being disposed adjacent the distal end of the proximal section and the proximal end of the distal section, the connector adapted and configured for joining the proximal section to the distal section and is welded to at least the distal section; and a polymer sleeve disposed about a portion of the distal section.