PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guide catheter.SOLUTION: The guide catheter includes a tubular section formed of a shape memory polymer that can transform dynamically between first and second states or conditions, or among three states or conditions, to provide a wide range of properties of the guide catheter as desired during delivery of the guide catheter through the vasculature to a target site, and during removal of the guide catheter from the target site and vasculature. The states or conditions of the shape memory polymer be dynamically changed to vary properties of the tubular section such as stiffness, flexibility, shape, or biodegradability, which can be controlled by exposure of the shape memory polymer to temperature changes, electric fields, magnetic fields, wavelengths of light, and chemical solutions.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】ガイドカテーテルを提供する。【解決手段】ガイドカテーテルは、脈管構造を通って標的部位までのガイドカテーテルの送達中、及び標的部位及び脈管構造からのガイドカテーテルの取り外し中に、所望に応じてガイドカテーテルの広範な特性を提供するために、第1及び第2の形態若しくは状態の間、又は3つの形態若しくは状態間を動的に転換することができる形状記憶ポリマーから形成された管状区分を含む。形状記憶ポリマーの形態若しくは状態は動的に変化させられて、温度変化、電界、磁場、光の波長、及び化学溶液に対する形状記憶ポリマーの曝露によって制御され得る管状区分の特性、例えば剛性、柔軟性、形状、又は生分解性を変える。【選択図】図1
