Guidewires commonly fall into one of four categories: coiled wires, filaments (stainless steel, nitinol, or other memory metals), sheathed wires, and coated wires. Coated wires provide a critical hydrophilic outer layer over the wire to facilitate atraumatic insertion during vascular procedures. The increased lubricity of coated wires reduces the potential for kinking or buckling when maneuvering within the vasculature. Coated wires are designed to achieve an optimal combination of flexibility and stiffness.<\/p>\n
For endoscopy applications such as ERCP, guidewires are often sheathed or encapsulated in a polymer heat shrink to accomplish a similar function as coated wires. Zeus PTFE heat shrink over guidewires, for example, gives these components increased lubricity and provides medical professionals with the ability to track the wires visually using striping.<\/p>\n