| 摘要 |
The present invention provides guide wires adapted for passage across a heart valve and methods of use therefor. The guide wires have an increased diameter and a shorter, relatively floppy distal tip, as compared to previously known standard guide wires. The increased diameter provides improved pushability to facilitate positioning in a blood jet and passage through a heart valve. The short, floppy distal tip reduces a risk of damage to valve leaflets during passage through the valve, reduces a risk of emboli generation and coronary artery trauma during passage through a stenosed valve, and reduces a risk of myocardial perforation after passage. Additionally, the decreased length of the distal tip facilitates positioning within the blood jet and limits deflection of the guide wire out of the jet. In a preferred embodiment, the distal tip comprises a section of rectangular cross-section that, in conjunction with the decreased tip length, causes the distal tip to vibrate, or "dance", when positioned within a blood jet at the outlet of a heart valve. This vibratory motion may be used to position the distal tip within the blood jet, thus facilitating passage through the valve without damage to leaflets of the valve or emboli generation.
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