Patent ID: 7169161

Claim:
A tubular guidewire assembly comprising: a guidewire member having a distal end and a proximal end; the guidewire member comprising an extended crimpable section proximate the proximal end and a main body portion distal of the extended crimpable section; a lumen extending through the extended crimpable section and through the main body portion from the proximal end of the guidewire member and continuing to the distal end of the guidewire member; an occlusive balloon proximate the distal end, the occlusive balloon being fluidly connected to the lumen so as to enable inflation and deflation of the occlusive balloon through the lumen upon respectively introducing and withdrawing fluid from the proximal end of the lumen; the extended crimpable section being adapted to be selectively sealed with a permanent crimp at each of a plurality of separate locations to form successive airtight seals of the lumen to maintain the occlusive balloon inflated when it is in an inflated state, the extended crimpable section being dimensioned so as to be no larger in any outer diameter after being crimped than the largest outer diameter of any other portion of the tubular guidewire assembly; and, the extended crimpable section being quickly and reliably severable distal to each crimp to reopen the lumen to thereby provide for withdrawing fluid from the proximal end of the lumen and thereby deflate the occlusive balloon.