Patent ID: 8092395

Claim:
A guidewire for use in a re-canalising process for re-canalising a vascular occlusion in a human or animal subject, the guidewire extending between a proximal end and a distal end, and defining a longitudinally extending main central axis, characterised in that the guidewire terminates at its distal end in a terminal member extending axially from the guidewire, the terminal member tapering to a distal leading edge portion for engaging and gradually opening the occlusion as the terminal member is urged therethrough, wherein a first surface portion of the terminal member converges towards an opposite second surface portion of the terminal member, the leading edge portion being radiused from the first surface portion to the second surface portion to define a chisel edge, and further wherein, the first and second surface portions of the terminal member are joined by spaced apart opposite third and fourth surface portions, the leading edgy portion of the terminal member extending between the third and surface portions.