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 make selective insertion into the bile and pancreatic ducts easier, according to the release.
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 and enables the guidewire to pass smoothly through strictures while facilitating the exchange of ERCP devices, according to the release.
VisiGlide also 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.
Read the Olympus release on VisiGlide.
