Patent ID: 8708932

Claim:
A method of advancing a guide wire through a main blood vessel having a side-branch and to a target site, the guide wire comprising a curved distal portion including a first curve portion curving in a direction of curvature, a second curve portion distal of the first curve portion and curving in a direction of curvature opposite the direction of curvature of the first curve portion, a third curve portion distal of the second curve portion and curving in a direction of curvature opposite the direction of curvature of the second curve portion, and a distal most tip on a distal side of the third curve portion, each of the first, second and third curve portions having a shape that is curved in a state of the guide wire in which an external force is not applied to the guide wire, the method comprising: advancing at least the curved distal portion into the main blood vessel in a direction that leads to the target site, the advancing causing the distal most tip of the curved distal portion to enter the side-branch; when the distal most tip of the curved distal portion enters the side-branch, bending the second curve portion; and continuing to advance the curved distal portion through the main blood vessel in the direction that leads to the target site, with the second curve portion being set at a forefront.