Published on October 28, 2009 at 6:54 AM
Specifically designed for endoscopic treatment in biliary pancreatic duct
Olympus, a precision technology leader creating innovative opto-digital solutions in healthcare, life science and consumer electronics products, today announced the availability of VisiGlide, its new single use guidewire developed with advanced technology from Terumo Corporation to facilitate ERCP procedures performed by gastroenterologists. Designed for use in endoscopic treatment of the bile and pancreatic ducts, the new 0.025 inch VisiGlide provides the same level of support and stiffness as a traditional 0.035 inch guidewire. Its enhanced design includes a super-elastic alloy and hydrophilic coatings to facilitate passage through strictures, an abnormal narrowing of a body passage, and makes selective insertion into the bile and pancreatic ducts easier.
By integrating Terumo's advanced materials processing technology with Olympus' endoscope and device combination technology, VisiGlide is expected to provide improved guidewire insertability and maneuverability in the bile and pancreatic ducts - sites that are traditionally difficult to reach endoscopically. The core wire of VisiGlide is made of a super-elastic alloy with a thin fluorine coating on its shaft. Its supportive and kink-resistant design combined with its coatings enable the guidewire to pass smoothly through strictures while facilitating the exchange of ERCP devices. These advances in design are expected to make gastrointestinal procedures performed with the ERCP technique faster and easier.
VisiGlide provides visible markings to indicate various distances from the distal end in order to facilitate placement and confirmation of the guidewire's position in the endoscopic field of view during endoscopic treatment and when exchanging devices. This feature is expected to save X-ray radiation time. In addition, two radiopaque markers are incorporated to improve the visibility of the guidewire under fluoroscopy.
Source: GolinHarris International