Abstract: A catheter includes an inner layer, and a braid provided on an outer periphery of the inner layer. The braid includes a first wire and a second wire that are woven together. The catheter further includes a tip provided on a distal end of the inner layer and a distal end of the braid. A residual portion having a sharp shape formed at a distal end of the first wire when the first wire is cut is not left untreated, but is formed into a bulging portion.

Abstract: A catheter includes an inner layer, and a braid provided on an outer periphery of the inner layer. The braid includes a first wire and a second wire that are woven together. The catheter further includes a tip provided on a distal end of the inner layer and a distal end of the braid. A residual portion having a sharp shape formed at a distal end of the first wire when the first wire is cut is not left untreated, but is formed into a bulging portion.

Abstract: A pusher guide wire and a delivery system can smoothly pass through the inside of even a curved blood vessel without causing excessive burden to a stent, a catheter, and the like. A pusher guide wire has a tubular member capable of moving in a radial direction relative to a core shaft of the pusher guide wire. When the pusher guide wire is used together with a stent in a delivery system, the tubular member makes contact with the stent in an appropriate manner when passing through the inside of a curved blood vessel. The stent may include a proximal end engagement portion provided at a proximal end of the stent. When the stent is placed so that the proximal end engagement portion engages with the pusher guide wire, the stent can be pulled back inside the catheter by pulling the pusher guide wire in the proximal direction.

Abstract: A catheter that can efficiently transmit a pressing force applied to the distal end of the catheter without breaking at a midpoint of the catheter. The catheter includes a metal tube having a first wall and a second wall disposed in an outer tube, and a reinforcing member that is joined at its proximal end to an outer peripheral surface of the first wall. A distal end of the first wall extends distally beyond a distal end of the second wall and is bent toward the second wall. Thus, the second wall is not provided at a connected portion between the first wall and the proximal end of the reinforcing member, and the reinforcing member having a diameter increased at least by an amount corresponding to a thickness of the second wall can be disposed in the catheter without increasing the diameter of the outer tube.

Abstract: In a pusher guide wire, a protective film is suspended with respect to a core shaft with a distal end thereof being fitted in a distal-end holder and a proximal end thereof being fitted in a proximal-end holder. Hence, the frictional resistance generated between the protective film and a stent when the core shaft is rotated is reduced. Thus, the protective film is prevented from coming off the core shaft, the stent is prevented from being damaged, and the transmissibility of rotation of the pusher guide wire is improved. Consequently, the position where the stent is to be released is easily adjustable.

Abstract: A stent delivery system includes a pusher guide wire for delivering a stent having an anchor member. The pusher guide wire includes a core shaft, a coil body that is disposed around a distal portion of the core shaft and includes a tapered portion having an outer diameter that decreases toward a distal end of the coil body, and a protruded portion fixed to the coil body at a position distal to the tapered portion. The anchor member is positioned between the tapered portion and the protruded portion when the stent is delivered using the pusher guide wire. The anchor member can therefore be pushed in the distal direction by the tapered portion of the coil body. Moreover, the stent can be retracted into the catheter by pulling the pusher guide wire in the proximal direction so that the protruded portion contacts the anchor member.

Abstract: A self-expandable stent includes a plurality of first wires and a plurality of second wires interwoven together. A first anchor member is attached to a distal end of one of the plurality of first wires. The distal end of the first anchor member is fixed to the distal end of the one of the plurality of first wires, but the proximal end is a free end and is not fixed to any of the plurality of first wires or to any of the plurality of second wires. Consequently, the self-expandable stent is capable of contacting a blood vessel wall or digestive organ wall at the optimal position when the self-expandable stent is expanded at the target site. A gap is not easily formed between the anchor member and the blood vessel wall or digestive organ wall, and thus the self-expandable stent is not easily dislocated from the target site.

Abstract: A guide wire may include a core shaft and an external coil body covering a distal portion of the core shaft. The external coil body includes a first coil portion and a second coil portion that is distal to the first coil portion. An outside diameter of the second coil portion is smaller than an outside diameter of the first coil portion. Similarly, the guide wire may include a core shaft, a first external coil body, and a second external coil body. An outside diameter of the second external coil body is smaller than an outside diameter of the first external coil body. The external coil body or first and second external coil bodies enable the performance of a pushing-out operation and a drawing-in operation of the stent; yet, the flexibility of the guide wire is maintained.

Abstract: A pusher guide wire for delivering a stent to a target site includes a core shaft, a coil body that covers a distal end portion of the core shaft, a pusher portion that is fixed to the core shaft at a position proximal to the coil body, and a stent holding portion that is fixed to the core shaft at a position between the coil body and the pusher portion. In the pusher guide wire, frictional resistance between the stent and the stent holding portion is larger at a proximal end portion of the stent holding portion than at a distal end portion of the stent holding portion.

Abstract: A catheter can efficiently transmit an operator's pushing force to a distal end of the catheter with a reduced risk of getting caught at a curved region of a lumen (e.g., a blood vessel, bile duct, pancreatic duct or the like). The catheter includes a first core wire and a second core wire disposed between an inner tube and an outer tube. The second core wire can move to an optimal position depending on external forces exerted at a curved region of the lumen when the catheter is inserted into the curved region. Therefore, there is a reduced risk that the first core wire and the second core wire will interfere with each other, which would prevent the catheter from bending along the lumen and potentially break one or both of the first core wire and the second core wire.

Abstract: A catheter that can efficiently transmit a pressing force applied to the distal end of the catheter without breaking at a midpoint of the catheter. The catheter includes a metal tube having a first wall and a second wall disposed in an outer tube, and a reinforcing member that is joined at its proximal end to an outer peripheral surface of the first wall. A distal end of the first wall extends distally beyond a distal end of the second wall and is bent toward the second wall. Thus, the second wall is not provided at a connected portion between the first wall and the proximal end of the reinforcing member, and the reinforcing member having a diameter increased at least by an amount corresponding to a thickness of the second wall can be disposed in the catheter without increasing the diameter of the outer tube.

Abstract: A stent, having a central axis that extends in a longitudinal direction of the stent, includes a first strand group and a second strand group. The first strand group and the second strand group are woven together. The first strand group is wound in a right-handed spiral around the central axis and the second strand group is wound in a left-handed spiral around the central axis. A maximum diameter of first strands constituting the first strand group is different from a maximum diameter of second strands constituting the second strand group.

Abstract: Provided is a guidewire including a core shaft, an outer flexible tube, a stranded wire that extends parallel to the core shaft, and a hollow stranded-wire coil disposed in the outer flexible tube. The hollow stranded-wire coil is formed of multiple strands and surrounds the distal end portion of the core shaft and the stranded wire. Distal ends of the hollow stranded-wire coil, the core shaft, and the stranded wire are joined to a distal end of the outer flexible tube.

Abstract: Provided is a guidewire including a core shaft, an outer flexible tube, a stranded wire that extends parallel to the core shaft, and a hollow stranded-wire coil disposed in the outer flexible tube. The hollow stranded-wire coil is formed of multiple strands and surrounds the distal end portion of the core shaft and the stranded wire. Distal ends of the hollow stranded-wire coil, the core shaft, and the stranded wire are joined to a distal end of the outer flexible tube.

Abstract: Provided is a guidewire including a core shaft, an outer flexible tube, a stranded wire that extends parallel to the core shaft, and a hollow stranded-wire coil disposed in the outer flexible tube. The hollow stranded-wire coil is formed of multiple strands and surrounds the distal end portion of the core shaft and the stranded wire. Distal ends of the hollow stranded-wire coil, the core shaft, and the stranded wire are joined to a distal end of the outer flexible tube.

Abstract: Provided is a guidewire including a core shaft, an outer flexible tube, and an inner flexible tube that surrounds a distal end portion of the core shaft. The inner flexible tube is disposed in the outer flexible tube so that a distal end thereof is positioned between the distal end of the core shaft and a proximal end of the core shaft so as to be separated from the core shaft. A first joint is formed so as to join the distal end of the inner flexible tube to the core shaft. At least one second joint is formed so as to join the outer flexible tube to the inner flexible tube. The at least one second joint is positioned between the first joint and the proximal end of the core shaft.

Abstract: In a pusher guidewire, a front end coil has a free rear end that is not fixed to a first front end portion of a core shaft. By pulling the core shaft toward the rear end, the free rear end catches a gap of a partially-deployed stent. By rotating the core shaft in this state, a front end portion of the stent deployed from a front end opening of a catheter is wrapped around the outer circumference of the front end coil. Further pulling the core shaft toward the rear end with the wrapped stent retrieves the partially-deployed stent into the catheter, thereby preventing the stent from damaging the inner wall of a normal blood vessel.

Abstract: In a pusher guide wire, a protective film is suspended with respect to a core shaft with a distal end thereof being fitted in a distal-end holder and a proximal end thereof being fitted in a proximal-end holder. Hence, the frictional resistance generated between the protective film and a stent when the core shaft is rotated is reduced. Thus, the protective film is prevented from coming off the core shaft, the stent is prevented from being damaged, and the transmissibility of rotation of the pusher guide wire is improved. Consequently, the position where the stent is to be released is easily adjustable.

Abstract: A balloon catheter includes a core wire and an opening control portion. The core wire is formed of a long wire disposed in an outer shaft and includes a pushing portion. The opening control portion is provided in the outer shaft and has a control hole that communicates with an inflation lumen. The opening area of the control hole in the opening control portion is partially closed when the pushing portion of the core wire comes into contact with the control hole.

Abstract: Provided is a guidewire including a core shaft, an outer flexible tube, and an inner flexible tube that surrounds a distal end portion of the core shaft. The inner flexible tube is disposed in the outer flexible tube so that a distal end thereof is positioned between the distal end of the core shaft and a proximal end of the core shaft so as to be separated from the core shaft. A first joint is formed so as to join the distal end of the inner flexible tube to the core shaft. At least one second joint is formed so as to join the outer flexible tube to the inner flexible tube. The at least one second joint is positioned between the first joint and the proximal end of the core shaft.