Deflectable sheath catheters

• US 20050222557A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiofocus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cardiofocus Incorporated
• Inventors: Melsky, Gerald, Baxter, Lincoln S., Arnold, Jeffrey M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,935,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/245 for removing obstructions in blood vessels or calculi
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00061 spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00285 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0097 Cleaning probe surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0262 using a circulating cryogenic fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2261 with scattering, diffusion or dispersion of light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2266 with a lens, e.g. ball tipped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/085 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/12 containing fluorine atoms

Abstract

The present invention provides devices and methods for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. In one embodiment a deflectable sheath catheter includes an elongate catheter body having proximal and distal ends, the distal end having a distal tip region that includes a plurality of flexible segments with varying degrees of stiffness. A handle portion can be located at the proximal end of the catheter body to provide a steering mechanism that causes the distal tip region to deflect according to a compound curve.

Claims

1. A deflectable sheath catheter, comprising:

an elongate catheter body having proximal and distal ends;

the catheter body comprising a plurality of flexible segments along its length, at least one of the segments having a different stiffness; and

a deflectable distal end section at the distal end of the catheter body,

wherein the segments of different stiffness permit the deflectable distal end section to form a compound curve upon deflection.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the compound curve is a spiral curve.

3. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the segments of different stiffness are formed by a plurality polymeric segments of the elongate body having different durometers.

4. The catheter of claim 3, wherein the polymeric segments further comprise Pbax polymer.

5. The catheter of claim 3, where the durometer of the distal end section decreases in the distal direction along at least a portion of the section.

6. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the elongate catheter body comprises at least one braided wire reinforcement layer.

7. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the catheter comprises at least one braided wire cladding surrounding at least a portion of the body length.

8. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the reinforcement layer is continuous.

9. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the reinforcement layer is discontinuous.

10. The catheter of claim 6, wherein the reinforcement layer is varied to provide segments of different stiffness.

11. The catheter of claim 1, further comprising an actuator that effects deflection of the deflectable tip section.

12. The catheter of claim 11, wherein the actuator further comprises a lock to fix the deflectable distal end section in a particular curve within its range of movement.

13. The catheter of claim 12, wherein the actuator further comprises a pull wire mechanically linking the deflectable distal end section to a proximal handle portion.

14. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflectable tip section has a plurality of flexible segments of varying stiffness.

15. The catheter of claim 14, wherein the stiffness of the plurality of segment varies progressive over at least a portion of the distal end section.

16. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflectable distal end section includes at least one irrigation port.

17. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflectable distal end section includes at least one radioopaque band.

18. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises at least one hemostasis valve.

19. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the deflectable distal end section further comprises a distal tip that is bent out of a plane of deflection.

20. A cardiac ablation instrument assembly, comprising:

a deflectable sheath catheter adapted for disposition within a heart having at least one lumen therein, the catheter having at least one segment of different stiffness to form a compound curve upon deployment and deflection within the heart; and

an ablation instrument movable within a lumen of the deflectable sheath catheter such that it can be disposed at a target tissue site to deliver ablative energy.

21. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the ablation instrument is a radiant energy emitter further comprising a translatory mechanism for positioning the emitter at a selected location within the deflectable sheath catheter.

22. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the radiant energy emitter is selected from the group consisting of ultrasound, hypersound, light, microwave radiation, radio-frequency (RF) radiation, x-ray radiation, ionizing radiation and particle beam radiation emitters.

23. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the radiant energy emitter is a light emitter.

24. The assembly of claim 23, wherein the radiant energy emitter is an infrared light emitter

25. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the radiant energy emitter is an ultrasound emitter.

26. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the radiant energy emitter is a focused acoustic energy emitter.

27. The assembly of claim 20, wherein the ablation instrument is a contact ablation instrument.

28. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the contact ablation instrument is selected from the group consisting of cryogenic ablation instruments, ablative fluid instruments and heating instruments.

29. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the contact ablation instrument is a cryogenic ablation instrument.

30. The assembly of claim 27, wherein the contact ablation instrument is an ablative fluid instrument.