US 7,455,646 B2
Polymer coated guide wire
Mark T. Richardson, Escondido, Calif. (US); David M. Anderson, Temecula, Calif. (US); Emmanuel C. Biagtan, Temecula, Calif. (US); Lawrence E. Brennan, Temecula, Calif. (US); David H. Burkett, Temecula, Calif. (US); Wayne E. Cornish, Fallbrook, Calif. (US); Robert C. Esselstein, Fallbrook, Calif. (US); James Jacobs, Mountain View, Calif. (US); Marc M. Jalisi, Temecula, Calif. (US); Daryush P. Mirzaee, Sunnyvale, Calif. (US); Olin J. Palmer, Mountain View, Calif. (US); John Schreiner, Hemet, Calif. (US); and Kent C. Stalker, San Marcos, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Advanced Cardiovascular Systems, Inc., Santa Clara, Calif. (US)
Filed on Jun. 26, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/768,794.
Application 11/768794 is a division of application No. 10/631275, filed on Jul. 31, 2003.
Application 10/631275 is a division of application No. 09/441698, filed on Nov. 16, 1999, granted, now 6,673,025.
Application 09/441698 is a continuation in part of application No. 09/203140, filed on Dec. 01, 1998, granted, now 6,390,993.
Application 09/203140 is a continuation in part of application No. 08/868764, filed on Jun. 04, 1997, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2007/0249964 A1, Oct. 25, 2007
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 600—585 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A guidewire comprising:
an elongate core member having a proximal section and a distal section with a longitudinal portion which tapers distally to a reduced transverse dimension; wherein the taper creates a substantially linear change in stiffness of the core member over a length thereof; and
a tubular polymer member disposed about the distal section of the elongate core member having a plurality of longitudinal segments with at least one of the longitudinal segments being radiopaque and at least one of the segments being radiolucent.