Dual-lever bi-directional handle

• US 20070156116A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Gonzalez, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 9,833,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0052 Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/008 Articulations
• 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 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0037 characterized by lumina being arranged side-by-side
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/004 characterized by lumina being arranged circumferentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/015 Details of the distal fixation of the movable mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0161 wherein the distal tips have two or more deflection regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0029 characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the middle part of the catheter, e.g. slots, flaps, valves, cuffs, apertures, notches, grooves or rapid exchange ports catheter shaft surface irregularities A61M2025/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

An improved bi-directional steerable catheter is provided. The catheter generally comprises a catheter body, tip section and control handle. The catheter further comprises first and second puller wires extending from the control handle, through the catheter body and into the tip section. The control handle has deflection means for each puller wire that include a gear, and a carrier to which the proximal end of a puller wire is anchored. The gear is rotatably coupled to a lever controlled by an operator and the gear engages the carrier such that rotation of the gear by the lever results in longitudinal movement of the carrier, which results in deflection of the tip section.

Claims

1. A bi-directional catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends;

a tip section comprising a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least two off axis lumens extending therethrough, the tip section being distal the catheter body;

a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body;

a first and a second puller wire;

wherein the control handle comprises;

a first deflection mechanism and a second deflection mechanism, each comprising;

a lever adapted for movement by an operator;

a gear in engagement with a carrier that is connected to a proximal end of a puller wire, wherein the gear is rotatably coupled to the lever and drives the carrier distally or proximally in response to rotation of the gear by the lever for deflecting the tip section.

2. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the gear is a pinion and the carrier is a rack.

3. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the gear is a wormwheel and the carrier is a worm.

4. A catheter of claim 1, wherein distal ends of the first and second puller wires are anchored at different distal distances from the control handle.

5. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the distal ends of the first and second puller wires are anchored at generally equal distal distances from the control handle.

6. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the lever of each deflection means is adapted for both distal and proximal movement from a resting position.

7. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the lever of each deflection means is adapted for only proximal movement from the resting position and distal movement toward the resting position.

8. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter is adapted for symmetrical bi-directional deflection.

9. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter is adapted for asymmetrical “

S”

shape deflection.

10. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter is adapted for symmetrical “

S”

shape deflection.

12. The catheter according to claim 1, whereby proximal movement of the first carrier of the control handle results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the first puller wire is anchored.

13. The catheter according to claim 1, whereby proximal movement of the second carrier of the control handle results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the first puller wire is anchored.

11. A bidirectional catheter comprising:

an elongated, tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough;

a tip section comprising a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least two off axis lumens extending therethrough, the proximal end of the tip section being fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body;

a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising;

a generally-hollow handle housing;

a first and a second generally circular spur gear

a first and a second carrier slidably mounted in the handle housing, wherein the first generally circular spur gear is engaged with the first carrier and the second generally circular spur gear is engaged with the second carrier;

first and second puller wires having proximal and distal ends, wherein the proximal end of the first puller wire is anchored to the first carrier, the proximal end of the second puller wire is anchored to the second carrier,

whereby rotation of the at least one generally circular spur gear results in longitudinal movement of its respective carrier for deflecting the tip section.

14. The catheter according to claim 11, wherein the control handle further comprises a lever fixedly attached to the spur gear, the lever extending through a longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a thumb control outside the handle housing.

15. The catheter according to claim 14, wherein proximal movement of the thumb control results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the first puller wire is anchored.

16. The catheter according to claim 14, wherein distal movement of the thumb control results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the second puller wire is anchored.

17. The catheter according to claim 11, wherein the control handle further comprises:

a first lever fixedly attached to the first spur gear, extending through a first longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a first thumb control outside the handle housing; and

a second lever fixedly attached to the second spur gear, extending through a second longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a second thumb control outside the handle housing.

18. The catheter according to claim 17, wherein proximal movement of the first thumb control results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the first puller wire is anchored.

19. The catheter according to claim 17, wherein proximal movement of the second thumb control results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen in the tip section in which the second puller wire is anchored.

20. A control handle for a bi-directional catheter, the control handle comprising:

a generally-hollow handle housing;

a first and a second gear rotatably mounted in the handle housing;

a first carrier engaged with the first gear and a second carrier engaged with the second gear, whereby each gear is adapted to rotate independently to result in translational movement of its respective carrier.

21. A control handle of claim 20, wherein the handle is adapted to receive proximal ends of a first and a second puller wire whose distal ends are anchored at different distal lengths.

22. A control handle for a bidirectional catheter, the control handle comprising:

a generally-hollow handle housing;

a gear rotatably mounted in the handle housing;

a first carrier and a second carrier, said carriers engaged with the gear at opposing locations generally on a diameter of the gear, wherein rotation of the gear results in generally equal but opposite translational movement of the carriers.

23. A control handle of claim 22, wherein the handle is adapted to receive proximal ends of a first and a second puller wire whose distal ends are anchored at generally equal distal lengths.

24. A control handle for a bi-directional catheter, the control handle comprising:

a generally-hollow handle housing;

first and second generally circular spur gears, the first spur gear being rotatably mounted in a first generally circular gear housing and the second spur gear being rotatably mounted in a second generally circular gear housing;

a first carrier slidably mounted in a first carrier housing and a second carrier slidably mounted in the second carrier housing, wherein the first generally circular spur gear is engaged with the first carrier and the second generally circular spur gear is engaged with the second carrier;

whereby rotation of the first generally circular spur gear results in longitudinal movement of the first carrier and rotation of the second generally circular spur gear results in longitudinal movement of the second carrier.

25. The control handle according to claim 24, further comprising:

a first lever fixedly attached to the first spur gear, extending through a first longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a first thumb control outside the handle housing; and

a second lever fixedly attached to the first spur gear, extending through a second longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a second thumb control outside the handle housing.

26. A control handle for a bi-directional catheter, the control handle comprising:

a generally-hollow handle housing;

a generally circular gear housing within the generally hollow handle housing;

first and second carrier housings within the generally hollow handle housing, the generally circular gear housing being in communication with both the first and second carrier housings;

a generally circular spur gear rotatably mounted in the generally circular gear housing;

a first carrier slidably mounted in the first carrier housing and a second carrier slidably mounted in the second carrier housing, wherein the generally circular spur gear is engaged with both the first and second carriers;

whereby rotation of the generally circular spur gear results in longitudinal movement of the first carrier in one direction and longitudinal movement of the second carrier in the opposite direction.

27. The control handle according to claim 26, further comprising a lever fixedly attached to the spur gear, the lever extending through a longitudinal slot in the handle housing and terminating in a thumb control outside the handle housing.