Patent ID: 8348858

Claim:
A guide wire having a distal end that can be magnetically navigated in a subject's body and can be used to guide a medical device through the subject's body, the guide wire comprising: an elongate wire core having a proximal end, a distal end, and a portion adjacent the distal end that is more flexible than the more proximal portions of the elongate wire; a first magnetically responsive element on the distal end of the elongate wire of such material and sufficient size to substantially align the distal end of the elongate wire relative to an externally applied magnetic field; and one or more magnetically responsive elements spaced apart from the first magnetically responsive element and disposed on the more flexible portion of the elongate wire, the one or more magnetically responsive elements being of such material and sufficient size to substantially align the flexible portion of the elongate wire relative to an externally applied magnetic field, wherein said one or more magnetically responsive elements includes at least a second magnetically responsive element separated from the first magnetically responsive element by a spacing of between about 4 and 10 millimeters, wherein the guide wire is adapted to be inserted through the lumen of a stent and positioned with the one or more magnetically responsive elements extending beyond the distal end of the stent.