Steerable catheter

• US 5,125,895 A
• Filed: 12/19/1988
• Issued: 06/30/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Versaflex Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Versaflex Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Solar, Ronald J., Buchbinder, Maurice
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bockelman, Mark
• Application Number:
  US07/287,522
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 604/95-99, 604/104-109, 606/191-192
• US Class Current: 604/95.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22001 Angioplasty, e.g. PCTA
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09033 with fixed mandrils, e.g. mandrils fixed to tip; Tensionable wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09041 Mechanisms for insertion of guide wires

Abstract

This invention relates to steerable catheters. More particularly, this invention relates to steerable catheters comprising a flexible catheter comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, the spring coil body having a flexible covering thereon; a deflection wire, the distal end of the deflection wire being attached to the distal end of the spring coil body; and control means attached to the proximal end of the catheter, the proximal end of the deflection wire extending through the control means and the control means having a torque means which fixedly engages said deflection wire.

Claims

1. A steerable dilatation catheter means comprising:

a. a flexible catheter comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, said spring coil body having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of said spring coil body being closed, and said spring coil body having a flexible body skin thereon;

b. dilatation balloon means positioned adjacent to the distal end of said spring coil body, said spring coil being less tightly wound for a predetermined length at a point substantially adjacent to the distal end of said spring coil body and within the dilatation balloon means, the flexible body skin proximal to the dilatation balloon means being tight against said spring coil body, and the dilatation balloon means being inflated by fluid entering through the less tightly wound coils in said predetermined length;

c. a deflection wire within the lumen having proximal and distal ends and being substantially co-extensive with said spring coil body, the distal end of said deflection wire being attached to the distal end of said spring coil body; and

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d. control means attached to the proximal end of said catheter, the proximal end of said deflection wire extending to the control means, the control means having engaging means which fixedly engages the proximal end of said deflection wire to cause said deflection wire to be displaced distally or proximally, said displacement causing the distal end of said catheter to bend out of or toward the line of its longitudinal axis, and the control means having rotation means to cause said deflection wire and said catheter to rotate together to cause the distal end of said catheter to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

2. The catheter means of claim 1 which comprises an anchor wire within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the proximal and distal ends of the anchor wire being affixed to the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of the spring coil body.

3. The catheter means of claim 1 which comprises an optical fiber within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the optical fiber being attached to the distal end of the catheter and the proximal end of the optical fiber extending through the control means.

4. The catheter means of claim 3, wherein the optical fiber has a pressure sensing membrane at its distal end and means at its proximal end to convert a signal from the pressure sensing membrane into an electrical signal or pulse.

5. The catheter means of claim 1 which comprises a flexible tip having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the flexible tip being attached to the distal end of the spring coil body.

6. The catheter means of claim 5, wherein the flexible tip is a floppy wire comprised of spring wire.

7. The catheter means of claim 6, wherein the wire comprises radiopaque material selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, tungsten, and tantalum.

8. The catheter means of claim 1, wherein the flexible body skin comprises a flexible polymeric material selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride.

9. The catheter means of claim 1, wherein the spring coil body comprises two or more spring coils.

10. The catheter means of claim 9, wherein the spring coil body comprises two spring coils having respective smaller and larger diameters, the proximal end of the spring coil with the smaller diameter being bonded to the inside of the distal end of the spring coil with the larger diameter.

11. A steerable dilatation catheter means comprising:

a. a flexible catheter comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, said spring coil body having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of said spring coil body being closed, and said spring coil body having a flexible body skin tightly fitting thereon;

b. dilatation balloon means positioned adjacent to the distal end of said spring coil body, said spring coil being less tightly wound for a predetermined length at a point substantially adjacent to the distal end of said spring coil body and within the dilatation balloon means, the flexible body skin proximal to the dilatation balloon means being tight against said spring coil body, and the dilatation balloon means being inflated by fluid entering through the less tightly wound coils in said predetermined length;

c. an anchor wire within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the proximal and distal ends of the anchor wire being affixed to the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of the spring coil body; and

,

d. control means attached to the proximal end of said catheter, said control means having rotation means to cause said catheter and anchor wire to rotate together to cause the distal end of said catheter to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

12. The catheter means of claim 11 which comprises an optical fiber within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the optical fiber being attached to the distal end of the catheter and the proximal end of the optical fiber extending through the control means.

13. The catheter means of claim 12, wherein the optical fiber has a pressure sensing membrane at its distal end and means at its proximal end to convert a signal from the pressure sensing membrane into an electrical signal or pulse.

14. The catheter means of claim 11 which comprises a flexible tip having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the flexible tip being attached to the distal end of the spring coil body.

15. The catheter means of claim 14, wherein the flexible tip is a floppy wire comprised of spring wire.

16. The catheter means of claim 15, wherein the wire comprises radiopaque material selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, tungsten, and tantalum.

17. The catheter means of claim 11, wherein the spring coil body comprises two or more spring coils.

18. The catheter means of claim 17, wherein the spring coil body comprises two spring coils having respective smaller and larger diameters, the proximal end of the spring coil with the smaller diameter being bonded to the inside of the distal end of the spring coil with the larger diameter.

19. A steerable dilatation catheter means comprising:

a. a flexible catheter comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, said spring coil body having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of said spring coil body being closed, and said spring coil body having a flexible body skin tightly fitting thereon and extending from said proximal end to said distal end;

b. dilatation balloon means positioned adjacent to said distal end of said spring coil body and concentrically around said spring coil body, said dilatation balloon means having proximal and distal portions sealingly attached to said flexible coating, and said flexible coating having an opening within said dilatation balloon means to permit inflation thereof;

c. a deflection wire within the lumen having proximal and distal ends and being substantially co-extensive with said spring coil body, the distal end of said deflection wire being attached to the distal end of said spring coil body; and

,

d. control means attached to the proximal end of said catheter, the proximal end of said deflection wire extending to the control means, the control means having engaging means which fixedly engages the proximal end of said deflection wire to cause said deflection wire to be displaced distally or proximally, said displacement causing the distal end of said catheter to bend out of or toward the line of its longitudinal axis, and the control means having rotation means to cause said deflection wire and said catheter to rotate together to cause the distal end of said catheter to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

20. The catheter means of claim 19 which comprises an anchor wire within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the proximal and distal ends of the anchor wire being affixed to the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of the spring coil body.

21. The catheter means of claim 19 which comprises an optical fiber within the lumen having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the optical fiber being attached to the distal end of the catheter and the proximal end of the optical fiber extending through the control means.

22. The catheter means of claim 21, wherein the optical fiber has a pressure sensing membrane at its distal end and means at its proximal end to convert a signal from the pressure sensing membrane into an electrical signal or pulse.

23. The catheter means of claim 21, wherein the spring coil body comprises two or more spring coils.

24. The catheter means of claim 23, wherein the spring coil body comprises two spring coils having respective smaller and larger diameters, the proximal end of the spring coil with the smaller diameter being bonded to the inside of the distal end of the spring coil with the larger diameter.

25. The catheter means of claim 19 which comprises a flexible tip having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the flexible tip being attached to the distal end of the spring coil body.

26. The catheter means of claim 25, wherein the flexible tip is a floppy wire comprised of spring wire.

27. The catheter means of claim 26, wherein the wire comprises radiopaque material selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, tungsten, and tantalum.

28. A steerable dilatation catheter means comprising:

a flexible catheter comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, said spring coil body having proximal and distal ends, a flexible tip having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of said flexible tip being positioned a short distance distally from the distal end of said spring coil body to form a discontinuity, and a flexible covering, said flexible covering extending from the proximal end of said spring coil body along the length of said spring coil body across said discontinuity to the proximal end of said flexible tip,

dilatation balloon means positioned concentrically around said discontinuity,

a deflection wire having proximal and distal ends, said deflection wire extending substantially co-extensively with said spring coil body, the distal end of said deflection wire being attached to the proximal end of said flexible tip,

an anchor wire having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the anchor wire being affixed to the proximal end of the spring coil body and the distal end of the anchor wire being attached to said flexible tip; and

control means attached to the proximal end of said spring coil body and having engaging means which fixedly engages the proximal end of said deflection wire to cause said deflection wire to be displaced distally or proximally, said displacement causing the distal end of said catheter to bend out of or toward the line of its longitudinal axis, and the control means having rotation means to cause said deflection wire and said catheter to rotate together to cause the distal end of said catheter to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

29. The catheter means of claim 28, wherein the flexible tip is a floppy wire comprised of spring wire.

30. The catheter means of claim 29, wherein the wire comprises radiopaque material selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, tungsten, and tantalum.

31. A steerable catheter set comprising:

a. steerable catheter means comprising a spring coil body defining a lumen, said spring coil body having proximal and distal ends, the distal end of said spring coil body being open, a deflection wire having proximal and distal ends and being substantially co-extensive with said spring coil body, the distal end of said deflection wire being attached to the distal end of said spring coil body, and control means attached to the proximal end of said catheter, the proximal end of said deflection wire extending to the control means, the control means having engaging means which fixedly engages the proximal end of said deflection wire to cause said deflection wire to be displaced distally or proximally, said displacement causing the distal end of said catheter to bend out of or toward the line of its longitudinal axis, and the control means having rotation means to cause said deflection wire and said catheter to rotate together to cause the distal end of said catheter to rotate about its longitudinal axis; and

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b. fiber optic means extending with the lumen of said steerable catheter and being passable therein.

32. The catheter means of claim 31 which comprises an anchor wire having proximal and distal ends, the proximal and distal ends of the anchor wire being affixed to the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of the spring coil body.

33. The catheter means of claim 31, wherein said spring coil body has a flexible covering comprising a flexible polymeric material.

34. The catheter means of claim 33, wherein the deflection wire is between said spring coil body and said flexible covering.

35. The catheter means of claim 33, wherein the flexible covering forms an atraumatic, annular tip at the distal end of the spring coil body.

36. The catheter means of claim 33, wherein the flexible polymeric material is polytetrafluoroethylene, polyethylene, or polyvinyl chloride.

37. The catheter means of claim 31, wherein the deflection wire is within the lumen defined by said spring coil body.

38. The catheter means of claim 31, wherein the spring coil body comprises two or more spring coils.

39. The catheter means of claim 38, wherein the spring coil body comprises two spring coils having respective smaller and larger diameters, the proximal end of the spring coil with the smaller diameter being bonded to the inside of the distal end of the spring coil with the larger diameter.

40. The catheter means of claim 31, wherein said spring coil body is less tightly wound for a predetermined length at a point substantially adjacent to the distal end of said spring coil body.