Patent ID: 8676301

Claim:
A guide wire operating system comprising: (a) an actuator rail having an inner lumen along at least a majority of a length of the actuator rail for accepting a guide wire, a longitudinal opening along a majority of a length of said actuator rail, said actuator rail being adapted to be connected to an associated catheter device in a manner such that said actuator rail is rotatable relative to a connected catheter; (b) a guide wire operating mechanism including a guide wire actuator adapted to be connected to a proximal end portion of a guide wire in the inner lumen of said actuator rail and slidably operable along a full length of said longitudinal opening; (c) a guard rail contained entirely within said actuator rail and comprising a member extending continuously for at least the full length of said longitudinal opening, said guard rail being independent of and not connected to, but configured to confine said guide wire along the length of said longitudinal opening in said inner lumen of said actuator rail while enabling said guide wire actuator to slide freely along the full length of said longitudinal opening while connected to said guide wire; and (d) wherein said guide wire operating system is configured to enable simultaneous and independent operation of said guide wire and a catheter device connected to said actuator rail while also enabling independent rotation of said guide wire relative to an associated catheter device.