Steerable catheter
First Claim
1. A steerable catheter device comprising:
- a catheter body having a distal section, the distal section havingan inner lumen; and
a plurality of steering lumens radially offset from said inner lumen, each steering lumen having a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and
a fluid source in fluid communication with each of said plurality of steering lumens for supplying at least one of a fluid and a vacuum thereto to change the first diameter thereof.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a steerable catheter device and method of using the same comprising a catheter body having a distal section. The distal section of the catheter body has an inner lumen, and one or more steering lumen radially offset from the inner lumen. The steering lumen comprise a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter. A fluid source is in fluid communication with the steering lumen for supplying fluid thereto to radially distend the first end of the steering lumen such that the catheter body bends away from the steering lumen. In some cases, a vacuum is supplied to an opposite lumen to further assist bending of the catheter body. The inner lumen may include a porous material that is utilized to clean an instrument, such as an imaging device, movably disposed in the inner lumen.
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Citations
44 Claims
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1. A steerable catheter device comprising:
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a catheter body having a distal section, the distal section having an inner lumen; and a plurality of steering lumens radially offset from said inner lumen, each steering lumen having a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and a fluid source in fluid communication with each of said plurality of steering lumens for supplying at least one of a fluid and a vacuum thereto to change the first diameter thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 43, 44)
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20. A steerable catheter device comprising:
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a catheter body having a distal section, the distal section having an inner lumen; and a steering lumen radially offset from said inner lumen, said steering lumen having a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and a fluid source in fluid communication with said steering lumen for supplying fluid thereto to radially distend the first end of said steering lumen such that said catheter body bends away from said steering lumen. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of orienting a catheter device within a bodily cavity, the method comprising:
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positioning a catheter within a bodily cavity, the catheter comprising a catheter body having an inner lumen and a steering lumen radially offset from the inner lumen, the steering lumen having a first end having a first diameter and a second end having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter; and bending the catheter body away from the steering lumen by supplying a fluid to radially distend the steering lumen. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification