Patent ID: 7785273

Claim:
A guidewire comprising: an elongated inner core member including a proximal section and a distal section, the distal section including a proximal portion and a distal portion; an elongated reinforcing member having a proximal end and a distal end and an inner surface extending between the proximal and the distal end, the elongated reinforcing member disposed in a fixed position about the proximal portion of the distal section of the core member such that the distal portion of the distal section of the core member is free of the reinforcing member and such that the inner surface of the elongated reinforcing member is in contact with the proximal portion of the core member along the entire length of the reinforcing member from the proximal end to the distal end of the reinforcing member; and an outer coil member having a proximal end and a distal end, the outer coil member disposed about the distal section of the core member, there being no intervening layer of material between the distal portion of the distal section of the inner core member and the outer coil member; and the outer coil member is located exterior of the elongated reinforcing member such that there exists an unoccupied space between the entire perimeter of the elongated reinforcing member and the outer coil member; wherein the proximal end of the outer coil member is located proximal of the proximal end of the elongated reinforcing member.