the total occlusion guidewire device of the present invention is designed to cross a totally occluded vessel . the device comprises various means for opening the true lumen of the vessel , including spreaders , centering devices and boring guide tips . the spreader is simply positioned in proximity to the occlusion and opened to increase the diameter of the lumen , in order to advance the guidewire through the lumen . centering devices with boring guide tips may also be utilized to open the true lumen of the vessel . centering devices may be utilized to position and retain a boring guide tip in the center of the lumen in order to insure proper positioning , and then the boring guide tip may be utilized to essentially cut through the occlusion if necessary . while the present invention may be realized in a number of exemplary embodiments , for ease of explanation , three exemplary embodiments will be described in detail . referring to the figures wherein like numerals indicate the same element throughout the views , there is shown in fig1 and 2 , a total occlusion guidewire device 10 made in accordance with the present invention . the total occlusion guidewire device 10 comprises a flexible wire 25 , a spreader 15 , which is permanently or removably attached to the distal end of the flexible wire 25 , and a core wire 20 , which is used to control the diameter of the spreader . as illustrated in fig1 , the core wire 20 has been inserted into the flexible wire 25 and slidably advanced through the flexible wire 25 and the spreader 15 , and is substantially in contact with the distal end of the spreader 15 . therefore , as illustrated in fig1 , the spreader 15 has achieved its longest length and its smallest diameter and is in the closed position . in fig2 , the slidable , core wire 20 has been advanced through the flexible wire 25 only , and is substantially in contact with the proximal end of the spreader 15 , thereby causing the spreader 15 to achieve its shortest length and to open up to its largest diameter . the spreader 15 may comprise a plurality of longitudinally or circumferentially arranged struts extending between the distal portion and the proximal portion of the spreader , such that advancing the spreader 15 over the core wire 20 frees the struts and allows them to expand to their largest diameter , and advancing the core wire 20 through the spreader 15 aligns the struts in a flat , closed position . as illustrated in fig7 , the spreader 15 may alternately comprise a plurality of hingedly connected members 17 . the core wire 20 may alternately be permanently attached to the distal end of the spreader 15 . the core wire 20 may also alternately have an inner diameter to accommodate another guidewire . referring back to fig1 and 2 , the total occlusion guidewire device 10 may be made from any number of suitable materials , and is preferably made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol . the core wire 20 and the flexible wire 25 may be coated with any number of lubricious , biocompatible coatings . the spreader 15 may be made from any number of suitable materials , and is preferably made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol . the exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device 10 , as illustrated in fig1 and 2 , is used to cross a chronic total occlusion by inserting it into the lumen of the occluded vessel , and then advancing it through the lumen until the distal end of the device is as close as possible to the occlusion . then , the spreader 15 and the flexible wire 25 are advanced over the core wire 20 , until the spreader 15 is in the open position , and achieves its shortest length and largest diameter and opens the occlusion . at this point , the core wire 20 is advanced through the flexible wire 25 and the spreader 15 , until the distal end of the core wire 20 is substantially in contact with the distal end of the spreader 15 , and the spreader 15 has achieved its longest length and smallest diameter and is in the closed position . this process is then repeated in a ratcheting fashion until the occlusion is fully opened . once the occlusion is fully opened , additional interventional devices such as angioplasty balloons and stents may be advanced over the total occlusion guidewire device , and may be placed at the site of the occlusion , so that balloon angioplasty , stenting , or other interventional procedures may then be performed to complete the treatment of the patient . fig3 , 4 and 5 show a second exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device . fig4 shows a total occlusion guidewire device 10 , which comprises a flexible wire 25 , a centering device 40 , which is permanently or removably attached to the distal end of the flexible wire 25 , a rotatable core wire 50 , a boring guide tip 45 , which is permanently or removably attached to the distal end of the rotatable core wire , and a sheath 30 , which is used to control the diameter of the centering device . as illustrated in fig4 , the rotatable core wire 50 has been inserted into the flexible wire 25 and slidably advanced through the flexible wire 25 and the centering device 40 until the boring guide tip 45 of the rotatable core wire 50 extends beyond the distal end of the centering device 40 . as illustrated in fig4 , the centering device 40 is in the open position and has achieved its shortest length and largest diameter . as illustrated in fig3 , the sheath 30 has been inserted over the flexible wire and has been slidably advanced over the flexible wire and the centering device , and is substantially in contact with the distal end of the centering device 35 . therefore , the centering device is in the closed position and has achieved its longest length and smallest diameter . the centering device 40 may comprise a plurality of longitudinal struts or circumferential struts extending between the distal portion and the proximal portion of the centering device 40 , such that advancing the sheath 30 over the centering device 40 aligns the struts in a flat , closed position , and retracting the sheath 30 frees the struts and allows them to expand to their largest diameter . as illustrated in fig7 , the centering device may alternately comprise a plurality of hingedly connected members 17 . as illustrated in fig5 , a number of alternate designs for the boring guide tip 45 a , 45 b , 45 c , 45 d and 45 e are shown , including circular guide tips with metal oxide layers or milled ends , cutting surfaces , and screw - type configurations . as an alternate to a boring guide tip , a device providing an energy source , such as laser energy , may be utilized to penetrate the occlusion . the total occlusion guidewire device 10 may be made from any number of suitable materials , and is preferably made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol . the rotatable core wire 50 , the flexible wire 25 , and the sheath 30 may be coated with any number of lubricious , biocompatible coatings . the centering device 40 may be made from any number of suitable materials , and is preferably made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol . the exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device 10 , as illustrated in fig3 , 4 and 5 , is used to cross a chronic total occlusion by inserting it into the lumen of the occluded vessel , and then advancing it through the lumen until the boring guide tip 45 of the rotatable core wire 50 is as close as possible to the occlusion . then , the sheath 30 is slidably retracted over the centering device 35 until the centering device 35 has achieved its shortest length and largest diameter , and centers the devices within the lumen of the vessel . then , the boring guide tip 45 and the rotatable core wire 50 are slidably advanced through the flexible wire 25 until the boring guide tip 45 is substantially in contact with the occlusion . finally , the rotatable core wire 50 and the boring guide tip 45 are rotated and advanced until the occlusion is fully opened . once the occlusion is fully opened , additional interventional devices such as angioplasty balloons and stents may be advanced over the total occlusion guidewire device 10 , and may be placed at the site of the occlusion , so that balloon angioplasty , stenting , or other interventional procedures may then be performed to complete the treatment of the patient . fig6 illustrates a third exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device . as illustrated in fig6 , a total occlusion guidewire device 10 may comprise two centering devices 40 attached to a flexible wire 25 . as illustrated in fig6 , a boring guide tip 45 is attached to the rotatable core wire that has been inserted into the flexible wire 25 . centering devices may be joined by flexible members such as polymeric tubing or coils , to provide longitudinal flexibility and vessel configuration around bends . centering devices may also be replaced with short , concentric balloons which may be pressurized simultaneously to center the device . the total occlusion guidewire device 10 may be made from any number of suitable materials , and is preferably made from a superelastic alloy such as nitinol . the exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device as illustrated in fig6 functions in the same manner as the exemplary embodiment of the total occlusion guidewire device as illustrated in fig3 , 4 and 5 , and the centering devices 40 provide enhanced centering capability for the boring guide tip 45 . as illustrated in fig6 , the boring guide tip 45 is substantially in contact with the chronic total occlusion 60 . the boring guide tip 45 is rotated and advanced until the occlusion is fully opened . once the occlusion is fully opened , additional interventional devices such as angioplasty balloons and stents may be advanced over the total occlusion guidewire device 10 , and may be placed at the site of the occlusion 60 , so that balloon angioplasty , stenting , or other interventional procedures may then be performed to complete the treatment of the patient . although shown and described are what are believed to be the preferred embodiments , it is apparent that departures from specific designs and methods described and shown will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention . the present invention is not restricted to the particular constructions described and illustrated , but should be constructed to cohere with all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims .
a guidewire having a spreader or at least one centering device which may be used to open occluded vessels or other biological passages , especially chronic total occlusions . the guidewire may be used to either open the lumen or to center a boring device within the lumen , so that the chronic total occlusion can be crossed , and an interventional procedure can then be performed .