STEERABLE CATHETERS

• US 20140276612A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matthew W. Sevensma
• Original Assignee: Matthew W. Sevensma
• Inventors: Sevensma, Matthew W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,636,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/510
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0175 having telescopic features, interengaging nestable members movable in relations to one another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0041 pre-formed, e.g. specially adapted to fit with the anatomy of body channels urethral catheters A61F2/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

Embodiments of steerable catheters are disclosed. The catheters may include a plurality of generally arcuate-shaped struts connected at proximal and distal ends of a handle. The handle is connected to a tubular portion at a distal end of the handle. The tubular portion includes a resilient component positioned near a distal tip of the tubular portion. The catheter includes a pull wire fixed to a point at or near the distal tip of the tubular portion. Upon manual compression of the handle, the struts are squeezed together, lengthening the handle, and extending the pull wire proximally. The proximal extension of the pull wire can cause the distal tip of the catheter to deflect. The catheter can be rotated greater than 360° around a longitudinal axis. The compressible handle can allow a user of the catheter tactile feedback and control over navigation of the catheter.

Claims

1. A steerable catheter comprising:

a handle at a proximal portion of the steerable catheter, the handle including a proximal end, a distal end, and an axis between the proximal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle, the handle comprising a plurality of resilient metal strips coupled at the proximal end of the handle and at the distal end of the handle, the metal strips biased into an arcuate configuration, the metal strips extending away from the axis from the proximal end of the handle to an intermediate point along the handle and the metal strips extending towards the axis from the intermediate point to the distal end of the handle, the handle comprising a cover over the plurality of resilient metal strips;

an elongate tubular body, the tubular body including a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion coupled to the distal end of the handle, the distal portion including a distal end of the tubular body, a plurality of lumens extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, the distal portion comprising a shape-memory ribbon longitudinally extending along the tubular body proximate to the distal end of the tubular body; and

a pull wire extending from the proximal end of the handle to the distal end of the tubular body through one lumen of the plurality of lumens, a second lumen of the plurality of lumens configured to provide a path for an endoluminal device,

wherein, upon manual inward compression of at least some of the resilient metal strips,

the at least some of the resilient metal strips compress from the arcuate configuration to a straighter configuration, a degree of straightening corresponding to a force applied during the manual inward compression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips,

the proximal end of the handle and the pull wire extend proximally, a degree of proximal extension corresponding to the force applied during the manual inward compression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips, and

the distal portion of tubular body deflects from a substantially straight configuration to a curved configuration, a degree of deflection corresponding to the force applied during the manual inward compression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips,

wherein, upon manual decompression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips,

the at least some of the resilient metal strips rebound towards the arcuate configuration, a degree of rebounding corresponding to a force of the manual decompression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips,

the proximal end of the handle and the pull wire extend distally, a degree of distal extension corresponding to the force of the manual decompression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips, and

the shape-memory ribbon deflects the distal portion of the tubular body from the curved configuration to the substantially straight configuration, a degree of uncurling corresponding to the force of the manual decompression of the at least some of the resilient metal strips,

wherein, upon rotation of the handle about the axis, the distal end of the tubular body rotates; and

wherein the handle is rotatable at least 360°

about the axis by rolling between a thumb and fingers of a user during manual compression.

2. A steerable catheter comprising:

a handle including a proximal end, a distal end, and an axis between the proximal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle, the handle comprising a plurality of resilient and flexible struts coupled at the proximal end of the handle and at the distal end of the handle, the struts biased into an elliptical configuration, the struts extending away from the axis from the proximal end of the handle to an intermediate point along the handle and the struts extending towards the axis from the intermediate point to the distal end of the handle;

an elongate tubular body including a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion coupled to the distal end of the handle, the distal portion including a distal end of the tubular body, a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, the distal portion comprising a resilient component; and

a pull wire extending from the proximal end of the handle to the distal end of the tubular body through the lumen, the pull wire configured to extend proximally upon inward compression of the handle proportional to a force of the inward compression and the distal portion of the tubular body configured to curve upon inward compression of the handle proportional to the force of the inward compression the handle rotatable at least 360°

about the axis by rolling between a thumb and fingers of a user during inward compression.

3. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein at least some of the struts comprise a wire or ribbon.

4. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the stuts comprise nitinol.

5. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the handle comprises a cover over the plurality of struts.

6. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the resilient component comprises a longitudinally extending ribbon.

7. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the resilient component comprises a shape memory material.

8. The steerable catheter of claim 2, further comprising a second lumen configured to provide a path for an endoluminal device.

9. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein upon manual decompression of the handle, the pull wire is configured to retract distally proportional to a force of the decompression and the distal portion of the tubular body is configured to straighten upon decompression of the handle proportional to the force of the decompression.

10. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the catheter comprises a second pull wire extending from the proximal end of the handle to the distal end of the tubular body, the second pull wire configured to extend proximally upon inward compression of a second part of the handle proportional to a force of the inward compression and the distal portion of the tubular body configured to curve in a second direction different than the first direction upon inward compression of the second part of handle proportional to the force of the inward compression.

11. The steerable catheter of claim 10, wherein the pull wire and the second pull wire are coupled to the distal end of the tubular body at pull wire fix points, the pull wire fix points spaced circumferentially around a circumference of the tubular body proximate to the distal end of the tubular body.

12. The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the catheter further comprises a locking mechanism configured to maintain the pull wire in an extended configuration.

13. The steerable catheter of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a frictional member configured to maintain an extended configuration of the pull wire by exerting friction on the pull wire.

14. A method of using a steerable catheter, the method comprising:

advancing a handle, the handle coupled to an elongate tubular body in a lumen, the handle comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and an axis between the proximal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle, the handle comprising a plurality of resilient and flexible struts biased into an arcuate configuration, the struts coupled at the proximal end of the handle and the distal end of the handle, the struts extending away from the axis from the proximal end of the handle to an intermediate point along the handle and the struts extending towards the axis from the intermediate point to the distal end of the handle, and the elongate tubular body comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion coupled to the distal end of the handle, the distal portion including a distal end of the tubular body, the distal portion comprising a resilient component longitudinally extending along the tubular body proximate to the distal end of the tubular body, a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion, a pull wire extending from the proximal end of the handle to the distal end of the tubular body within the lumen; and

manually inwardly compressing the handle, extending the proximal end of the handle and the pull wire proximally and deflecting the distal end of the tubular body from a substantially straight configuration to a curved configuration, a degree of deflecting corresponding to a force applied during the manual inward compression.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising rotating the handle of the catheter, the distal end of the elongate member rotating during or after manually inwardly compressing the handle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein rotating the handle of the catheter comprises rotating the handle between a thumb and fingers of a user of the catheter.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising manually decompressing the handle, the handle rebounding towards an unbiased configuration, the proximal end of the handle and the pull wire retracting distally, the distal end of the tubular body deflecting from the curved configuration to the substantially straight configuration, a degree of deflection corresponding to a force of manual decompression of the handle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising retracting the catheter from the lumen.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising advancing an endoluminal device through a second lumen of the catheter.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising locking the pull wire in a proximally extended configuration.