Patent ID: 7695465

Claim:
A chronic total occlusion device, comprising: an inner tubular member having an inner lumen, the inner lumen sized for having a guidewire disposed therein; an outer tubular member disposed over the inner tubular member, the outer tubular member having a proximal end region and a distal end region; wherein an annular lumen is defined between the outer tubular member and the inner tubular member; wherein the outer tubular member distally tapers so that the annular lumen is smaller adjacent the distal end region of the outer tubular member than adjacent the proximal end region of the outer tubular member; and a stiffening member having a distal head and a proximal tail, the proximal tail having a stiffness different than that of the distal head, movably disposed within the annular lumen, further comprising means for controlling the stiffening member.