Steerable medical device

• US 5,308,324 A
• Filed: 03/17/1993
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Scope Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pilot Cardiovascular Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Hammerslag, Gary R., Hammerslag, Julius G.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US08/032,681
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 604/95, 604/164, 604/170, 604/280-283, 128/756, 128/757, 128/772, 128/657, 606/191-200
• US Class Current: 604/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/015 Details of the distal fixation of the movable mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0144 having flexible regions as a result of inner reinforcement means, e.g. struts or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09 Guide wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09025 with sliding mandrils

Abstract

A steering device, such as for use in a guidewire for percutaneous transluminal insertion into the coronary vascular system is provided. The guidewire comprises an elongate flexible housing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending through the length of the housing. The guidewire has a steering element secured within the lumen and adapted to displace the distal end of the housing in a lateral direction. At least one deflection wire extends through the flexible housing extending from a distal point of attachment to the proximal end. Axial movement of the deflection wire displaces a distal steering region of the housing in a lateral direction.

Claims

1. A steerable device for transluminal insertion into a body cavity and controlled negotiation of branches and turns therein, said device comprising:

an elongate flexible housing having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one lumen extending axially therethrough;

a steering element secured within the lumen and adapted to displace the distal end of the housing in a lateral direction; and

at least one deflection wire axially movably disposed within the lumen of the flexible housing and extending from a distal point of attachment with respect to the steering element throughout the length of the flexible housing to the proximal end thereof;

wherein axial movement of said deflection wire in a proximal direction displaces the axis of a portion of the housing in a lateral direction to facilitate steering of said device through the body cavity.

2. A steerable device as in claim 1, wherein the steering element is secured within the lumen by a solder joint disposed proximally of the distal point of attachment.

3. A steerable device as in claim 2, further comprising a wire guide for axially slidably receiving the deflection wire, and wherein the steering element is soldered to the wire guide.

4. A steerable device as in claim 3, wherein the wire guide is secured to the flexible housing.

5. A steerable device as in claim 1, wherein the distal point of attachment comprises a solder joint between the steering element and the deflection wire.

6. A steerable device as in claim 1, further comprising a safety wire extending from the distal point of attachment to the distal end of the flexible housing.

7. A steerable device as in claim 6, wherein the safety wire comprises an extension of the pull wire or of the steering element.

8. A steerable device as in claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting rotational torque between the flexible housing and the deflection wire.

9. A steerable device as in claim 1, further comprising a second deflection wire for straightening the laterally displaced portion of the housing.

10. A steerable device as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said deflection wire comprises a multi-filament wire.

11. A steerable device as in claim 10, wherein said multi-filament wire comprises from about three to about ten monofilament strands.

12. A steerable device as in claim 10, wherein the deflection wire comprises a solid proximal portion and a multi-filament distal portion.

13. A steerable device as in claim 12, wherein said multi-filament distal portion comprises seven strands of stainless steel wire, each strand having a diameter within the range of from about 0.0003 to about 0.002 inches.

14. A steerable device as in claim 1, wherein said deflection wire further comprises a lubricous coating.

15. A steerable device as in claim 14, wherein said lubricous coating is selected from the group consisting of polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, nylon and silicone.

16. A steerable device as in claim 2, wherein the length of said flexible steering element between the distal point of attachment and the solder joint is less than about 1 inch.

17. A steerable device as in claim 16, wherein said length is within the range of from about 0.010 to 0.300 inches.

18. A steerable device as in claim 16, wherein said length is within the range of from about 0.020 to 0.090 inches.

19. A steerable device as in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said steering element is approximately rectangular in cross section.

20. A steerable device as in claim 19, wherein the rectangular portion of said steering element in its narrow cross-sectional dimension has a thickness of within the range of from about 0.0002 to about 0.010 inches.

21. A steerable device as in claim 16, wherein the cross-sectional dimensions of said steering element are about 0.001±

50% inches by about 0.007±

50% inches.

22. A steerable implement, comprising:

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 element secured in the housing, and adapted to displace the distal end of the housing in said lateral direction;

at least one deflection wire having proximal and distal ends extending along the housing, said wire being secured with respect to the steering element; and

a control at the proximal end of the housing for engaging the proximal end of the deflection wire to enable said deflection wire to be displaced axially, in relation to said housing;

wherein the axis of at least a portion of the steering element 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.

23. A steerable implement as in claim 22, wherein the steering element is secured with respect to the housing at a point within about 2 cm of the distal end of the housing to form a fulcrum.

24. A steerable implement as in claim 23, wherein the elongate flexible housing is relatively axially non-compressible proximally to the fulcrum.

25. A steerable implement as in claim 24, wherein the axially non-compressible portion of the housing comprises a wire coil.

26. A steerable implement as in claim 23, wherein the flexible housing distally of the fulcrum comprises a wire coil in which the adjacent windings of wire coil are separated from one another.

27. A steerable implement as in claim 23, wherein said fulcrum comprises a tubular wire guide secured to the interior of the elongate flexible housing, and additionally secured to the steering element.

28. A steerable implement as in claim 23, wherein an extension of the steering element extends proximally of the fulcrum.

29. A steerable implement as in claim 27, wherein said deflection wire extends from the proximal end of the elongate flexible housing distally through the tubular wire guide, and at least as far as a distal point of attachment between the deflection wire and the steering element.

30. A steerable implement as in claim 29, further comprising at least one torque transmitter for transmitting rotation between the deflection wire and the tubular housing.