Active guide wire and method of making the same

摘要

An active guide wire ( 1 ) that can be used in a narrow blood vessel in a complicate vascular system such as intracerebral is disclosed as well as a method of making the same. The active wire comprises a bias coil spring ( 3 ); an outer tube ( 4 ) having the bias coil spring ( 3 ) sheathed therewith and providing an external wall for the active wire guide ( 1 ); and a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator ( 5 ) in the form of a flat sheet anchored in and securely connected to the outer tube ( 4 ), wherein the flat sheet SMA actuator ( 5 ) is shape memorized so as to bend in a direction of the thickness of the flat sheet and has a shape running zigzag longitudinally thereof. The actuator ( 5 ) is energized with an electric current and thereby heated to have its leading end bent.