Patent ID: 7520863

Claim:
A bi-directional steerable guidewire having a deflectable tip which comprises: an elongated flexible tubing having proximal and distal portions; a flexible helical coil having multiple turns and having proximal and distal ends, said helical coil having a rectangular cross-sectional configuration and having continuous undulations wherein the undulations of adjacent turns interlock with each other in order to enhance the rotational rigidity of the coil, the proximal end of said helical coil is attached to the distal portion of the flexible tubing; said undulations are lateral to the length of the elongated flexible tubing; said undulations taking the form of a sinusoidal wave having positive and negative peaks and in which the positive peaks of adjacent turns of coils engage negative peaks of adjacent turns; an elongated deflection member having proximal and distal portions and being slidably disposed within said tubing and within said helical coil, the distal portion of said deflection member being flattened to form a deflection ribbon which extends in a plane; a retaining ribbon for the steerable guidewire having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the retaining ribbon is attached to the distal portion of the flexible tubing and the retaining ribbon is oriented to extend in a plane which is generally parallel to the plane of the deflection ribbon; and, an attachment member for the steerable guidewire engaging the distal end of the helical coil, the distal portion of the deflection member and the distal end of the retaining ribbon so that longitudinal movement of the deflection member in a distal direction causes the distal end of the helical coil to be deflected in one direction and longitudinal movement of the deflection member in a proximal direction causes the distal end of the helical coil to deflect in another opposite direction.