APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CATHETER STEERABILITY

• US 20100318067A1
• Filed: 06/08/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Puerto Rico LLC (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Klima, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,039,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0138 having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

A catheter assembly having first and second shaft members that provide stearability for the catheter assembly. The first shaft member has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart first ring members that are interconnected with a longitudinally extended first spine member. The second shaft member is positioned within the first shaft member and is connected to a distal end portion of the first shaft member. The second shaft member has a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart second ring members that are interconnected with a longitudinally extending second spine member. Alternatively, the second shaft member includes a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from the longitudinally extending second spine member. The second shaft member is operable to move at least portions of the first ring members longitudinally relative to each other to bend the first shaft member.

Claims

1. A catheter assembly, comprising:

a first shaft member having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart first ring members that are interconnected with a longitudinally extending first spine member;

a second shaft member positioned within the first shaft member and connected to a distal end portion of the first shaft member, the second shaft member having either a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart second ring members that are interconnected with a longitudinally extending second spine member, or a plurality of protrusions extending radially outward from the longitudinally extending second spine member, wherein the second shaft member is operable to move at least portions of the first ring members longitudinally relative to each other to bend the first shaft member.

2. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the first ring members are aligned with the second ring members.

3. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the protrusions extend radially outward into a space defined between adjacent first ring members.

4. The catheter assembly of claim 3, wherein the second shaft member is operable to rotate relative to the first shaft member to contact the protrusions with the first ring members to space apart the first ring members.

5. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the catheter assembly includes a longitudinal axis, and the first and second shaft members are coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

6. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the second shaft member is configured to bend in a first direction upon application of a distally directed longitudinal force causing the first shaft member to bend in the first direction.

7. The catheter assembly of claim 6, wherein bending the second shaft member in the first direction spaces apart the second ring members, and bending the first shaft member in the first direction moves the first ring members closer together.

8. The catheter assembly of claim 6, wherein applying a proximally directed longitudinal force to the second shaft member bends the second shaft member in a second direction causing the first shaft member to bend in the second direction.

9. The catheter assembly of claim 8, wherein bending the second shaft member in the second direction moves the second ring members closer together, and bending the first shaft member in the first direction spaces apart the first ring members.

10. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein the first shaft member is configured as an integral single piece, and the second shaft member is configured as an integral single piece.

11. The catheter assembly of claim 1, wherein a spacing between adjacent first ring members varies around a circumference of the first shaft member when the first shaft member is in a rest state.

12. A method of bending a distal end portion of a catheter assembly, comprising:

providing the distal end portion of the catheter assembly with a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion, the second shaft portion extending through a lumen defined by the first shaft portion, the first shaft portion including a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart first openings, the second shaft portion including one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart second openings or a plurality of protrusions that extend radially outward into the first openings;

operating the second shaft portion to bend the first shaft portion.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the second shaft portion includes axially advancing or axially retracting the second shaft portion to change a size or shape of the second openings and a size or shape of the first openings.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein operating the second shaft portion includes rotating the second shaft portion to move the protrusions within the first openings, wherein the first openings have a variable width around a circumference of the first shaft portion when the first shaft portion is in a rest state.

15. A catheter portion, comprising:

a body portion having a bendable section, the body portion defining a lumen, a series of longitudinally spaced apart first openings being defined in the bendable section;

a steering member extending through the lumen of the body portion and connected at a distal end thereof to the body portion, the steering member including a series of longitudinally spaced apart second openings;

wherein application of an axial force to the steering member bends the steering member and bends the bendable section of the body portion.

16. The catheter portion of claim 15, wherein the body portion is coaxial with the steering member.

17. The catheter portion of claim 15, wherein the first openings are arranged facing in a direction opposite a direction in which the second openings are facing.

18. The catheter portion of claim 15, wherein the second openings are configured to close in a longitudinal direction and the first openings are configured to enlarge in the longitudinal direction upon application of a distally directed axial force to the steering member.

19. The catheter portion of claim 15, wherein the second openings are configured to enlarge in an longitudinal direction and the first openings are configured to close in the longitudinal direction upon application of a proximally directed axial force to the steering member.

20. The catheter portion of claim 15, wherein the first openings extend around at least half of a circumference of the body portion, and the second openings extend around at least half of a circumference of the steering member.

21. A catheter portion, comprising:

a body portion having a bendable section, the body portion defining a lumen, a series of longitudinally spaced apart first openings being defined in the bendable section;

a steering member extending through the lumen of the body portion and connected at a distal end thereof to the body portion, the steering member including a series of radially extending, longitudinally spaced apart protrusions that extend into the first openings;

wherein the steering member is configured to bend the bendable section of the body portion upon application of a rotational force to the steering member.

22. The catheter portion of claim 21, wherein the protrusions widen the first openings in a longitudinal direction upon application of a rotational force to the steering member.

23. The catheter assembly of claim 21, wherein the first openings have a variable width around a circumference of the body portion when the body portion is in a rest state.

24. The catheter assembly of claim 21, wherein the first openings extend only partially around a circumference of the body portion.