MAGNETICALLY GUIDABLE CATHETER-TIP AND METHOD

• US 3,674,014 A
• Filed: 10/21/1970
• Issued: 07/04/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans Tillander
• Original Assignee: Hans Tillander
• Inventors: Tillander, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/082,620
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2M,2.5R,4.6-8,33R,348,349R,35R,1.3,1.4,356 138/120,155 355/302,306
• US Class Current: 600/434
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0069 Tip not integral with tube
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers

Abstract

A flexible catheter-tip, guidable by a magnetic field into selected arteries of the body, includes a plurality of permanent magnetic tubular sections with ball-shaped ends arranged end-toend. Each pair of adjacent ends is encased within a tubular link formed of non-magnetic material which provides a flexible, fluidtight seal between the tubular sections. Each ball-shaped end has formed thereon a bevel to provide stability between adjacent sections, and therefore to the whole catheter-tip, at full bend.

Claims

1. A flexible catheter tip, comprising tubular means having means therethrough defining an axial bore, said tubular means including:

a plurality of individual permanent magnetic dipoles disposed along said tubular means with their magnetic axes codirectional and parallel to said axial bore; and

means forming a flexible fluid-tight connection between said magnetic dipoles;

whereby said tubular means may be bent in a curve having a direction and radius of curvature which is controllable by a controllable magnetic field.

2. The flexible catheter-tip defined in claim 1, wherein:

said individual magnetic dipoles comprise tubular sections having ball-shaped ends;

said connection means comprises cylindrical tubular links formed of non-magnetic material encasing adjacent ball-shaped ends and having substantially the same interior diameter as the exterior diameter of the ball-shaped ends encased thereby; and

said connection means and said tubular sections together constituting said tubular means.

3. The flexible catheter-tip defined in claim 2, wherein:

said ball-shaped ends are bevelled on the outer ends thereof to form blunt conical ends;

said bevel has a base angle with respect to the axis of its section substantially the same as the maximum designed angular deflection of said section from the axis of the link in which said ball-end is encased.

4. A flexible catheter-tip having a front end and rear end, comprising:

a plurality of permanent magnets disposed with their respective magnetic axes mutually co-directional;

means through said magnets defining an axial bore communicating between said front end and said rear end; and

flexible connecting means for forming a flexible fluid-tight connection between said magnets whereby said axial bore forms a fluid-tight conduit from one end of said tip to the other.

5. A flexible catheter-tip, comprising:

a plurality of tubular sections formed of permanent magnetic material and magnetized such that one axial end thereof is a south magnetic pole and the other axial end is a north magnetic pole;

said sections arranged axially end-to-end with adjacent ends of opposite magnetic polarity;

means forming an axial bore through each section; and

means for flexibly connecting the adjacent ends of said sections together and for establishing fluid-tight communication between said balls.

6. The flexible catheter-tip defined in claim 5, wherein said connecting means comprises;

a ball-shaped connector formed on the ends of said sections;

a cylindrical tubular link surrounding each pair of adjacent ball connectors on adjacent sections;

the interior diameter of said link and the exterior diameter of said connector being substantially identical;

the outer end of said connector being formed with a blunt conical face; and

the base angle of said conical face being substantially identical to the maximum angular deflection of said section from the axis of said link whereby tangential line contact is established between abutting conical faces of adjacent connectors at maximum bend of said tip.

7. The flexible catheter-tip defined in claim 6, further comprising:

an inwardly directed radial flange formed on each end of each link;

a reduced diameter neck portion joining said ball connector to said section and defining, at its junction with said connector, a shoulder;

said flange having a radial extent sufficient to engage said shoulder regardless of the angular orientation of said section with respect to said link.

8. The flexible caTheter-tip defined in claim 7, wherein:

each neck and its respective section form at their junction a second shoulder; and

said neck having an axial extent such that, at full angular deflection of said section with respect to said link, said flange engages both of said first and said second shoulders.