Steerable medical device
First Claim
1. A steerable guidewire for percutaneous transluminal insertion into the coronary vascular system and controlled negotiation of branches and turns therein to guide an angioplasty catheter to an arterial stenosis or other treatment site, said guidewire comprising:
- an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therethrough, said distal end being provided with a floppy, resilient tip;
a deflection wire guide disposed within a steering region on the distal end of said flexible shaft, said wire guide secured to substantially prevent axial displacement thereof;
a deflection wire anchor disposed within the steering region distally of the wire guide; and
at least three deflection wires axially movably disposed within the lumen of said flexible shaft and extending from a distal point of attachment to the wire anchor throughout the length of the flexible shaft to the proximal end thereof;
wherein axial movement of any one of said deflection wires in a proximal direction displaces the axis of the steering region in a unique lateral direction, and through combinations of proximal axial displacement of said deflection wires, said steering region is caused to deflect laterally and rotate throughout a full 360°
range of motion about the axis of the flexible shaft.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An elongate steerable implement is disclosed, which may be either a steerable guidewire or catheter for coronary angioplasty applications. A floppy steerable tip on a steering region at the distal end of the implement and a control device at the proximal end are connected by means of a plurality of axially movable deflection wires extending throughout the implement. Manipulation of the control permits deflection of the steering region throughout a full 360° range of motion about the axis of the implement, without axial rotation or "torquing" thereof.
584 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A steerable guidewire for percutaneous transluminal insertion into the coronary vascular system and controlled negotiation of branches and turns therein to guide an angioplasty catheter to an arterial stenosis or other treatment site, said guidewire comprising:
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an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal and a distal end and at least one lumen extending therethrough, said distal end being provided with a floppy, resilient tip; a deflection wire guide disposed within a steering region on the distal end of said flexible shaft, said wire guide secured to substantially prevent axial displacement thereof; a deflection wire anchor disposed within the steering region distally of the wire guide; and at least three deflection wires axially movably disposed within the lumen of said flexible shaft and extending from a distal point of attachment to the wire anchor throughout the length of the flexible shaft to the proximal end thereof; wherein axial movement of any one of said deflection wires in a proximal direction displaces the axis of the steering region in a unique lateral direction, and through combinations of proximal axial displacement of said deflection wires, said steering region is caused to deflect laterally and rotate throughout a full 360°
range of motion about the axis of the flexible shaft. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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2. A steering device for controlling a flexible steering region on the distal end of an elongate implement, comprising:
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a deflection wire guide having proximal and distal ends positioned within the steering region of said elongate implement; a deflection wire anchor displaced axially in a distal direction from the wire guide; and at least one deflection wire secured to the deflection wire anchor and extending proximally adjacent the deflection wire guide; wherein the deflection wire is axially movably disposed in contact with the wire guide. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 30)
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5. A steerable implement, comprising:
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an elongate housing for transmitting a first force in a distal direction; a resilient tip on the distal end of the housing, said tip moveable between a first position on the axis of the housing and a second position displaced radially from the axis of the housing; at least one deflection wire within the housing for selectively transmitting a second force in a proximal direction; and a deflection wire anchor disposed in the housing for transmitting a radial component of said second force to the housing; wherein movement of the deflection wire in a proximal direction along the housing deflects the tip from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 31)
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9. A steerable implement, comprising:
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an elongate flexible housing having proximal and distal ends and a central lumen extending therebetween, the distal end of the housing being flexible in a lateral direction; an axially extending steering post secured in the housing, and adapted to displace the distal end of the housing in a lateral direction, said steering post having a wire anchor region and a wire guide region thereon; at least one deflection wire having proximal and distal ends extending along the housing, said wire being attached to the anchor region of the steering post; and a control at the proximal end of the housing for engaging the proximal end of the deflection wire to cause said deflection wire to be displaced axially, in relation to said catheter; wherein the axis of the steering post is displaced laterally in response to axial displacement of the deflection wire, thereby causing the distal end of said housing to bend out of the line of the housing longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 32)
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14. A steering device for a steerable guidewire of the type made from an elongate flexible tubular spring coil having proximal and distal ends, a central lumen extending therethrough and a flexible steering region, comprising:
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a central post having proximal and distal ends, secured against axial movement in the proximal direction relative to the spring coil and extending axially within the steering region of the spring coil; at least one proximal wire guide for guiding at least one deflection wire; and at least one deflection wire extending axially through the spring coil and through a unique proximal wire guide to the distal end of the post. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A steering device for controlling a flexible steering region on the distal end of an elongate implement, comprising:
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a steering post adapted to displace the distal end of the implement in a lateral direction; a plurality of deflection wires, wherein axial displacement of the deflection wires causes lateral deflection of the distal end of the implement; a plurality of proximal wire guides secured to the steering post for guiding each of the plurality of deflection wires; and a plurality of distal wire guides secured to the steering post distally of the proximal wire guides, wherein each of the plurality of distal wire guides correspond to each of the deflection wires. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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21. The steering device of claim 21, wherein the proximal wire guides are spaced substantially equidistant around the periphery of the post.
Specification