Steerable electrode catheter
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A steerable catheter comprising:
- a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein a distal portion of the shaft is deflectable;
means extending from the proximal end to the distal end for deflecting a distal portion of the shaft about a transverse axis;
a core wire extending through the central lumen and attached to the distal end of the shaft; and
means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the distal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis without deflecting the proximal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A steerable catheter suitable for radiofrequency ablation of cardiac tissue comprises a catheter shaft with a deflectable tip at the distal end of the shaft. The tip is deflected by means of a shapable handle coupled to pull wires fastened to the distal end of the deflectable tip. A core wire extends from the handle to the distal tip, providing fine positioning of the deflectable tip by applying torque through the core wire to the tip. A spring tube is further provided in the deflectable tip for improved torque transmission and kink-resistance. The catheter has an electrode at the distal end of the deflectable tip for positioning at a target site and applying RF power to accomplish ablation.
797 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein a distal portion of the shaft is deflectable; means extending from the proximal end to the distal end for deflecting a distal portion of the shaft about a transverse axis; a core wire extending through the central lumen and attached to the distal end of the shaft; and means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the distal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis without deflecting the proximal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein a distal portion of the shaft is deflectable; means extending from the proximal end to the distal end for deflecting a distal portion of the shaft about a transverse axis; a core wire extending through the central lumen and attached to the distal end of the shaft, the core wire being tapered to have a reduced diameter in the distal direction; and means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the distal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis.
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10. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein a distal portion of the shaft is deflectable; means extending from the proximal end to the distal end for deflecting a distal portion of the shaft about a transverse axis; a core wire extending through the central lumen and attached to the distal end of the shaft; and means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the distal portion of the shaft about its longitudinal axis, the means for applying torque including a torquer ring rotatably mounted at the proximal end of the shaft and coupled to the core wire.
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11. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a resilient and deflectable spring tube having a longitudinal lumen therethrough disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip, said spring tube extending from a point near the distal end of the deflectable tip and terminating near the proximal end of the deflectable tip; at least three pull wires attached to radially offset locations at the distal end of the deflectable tip; and means at the proximal end of the shaft for selectively applying tension to the pull wires for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a resilient and deflectable spring tube having a longitudinal lumen therethrough disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip, said spring tube extending from a point near the distal end of the deflectable tip and terminating near the proximal end of the deflectable tip, the spring tube including a polyimide cylinder which extends 1 cm to 3 cm into the central lumen of the catheter shaft; and means extending from the proximal end of the catheter shaft to the distal end of the deflectable tip for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis.
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20. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a spring tube disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip; means extending from the proximal end of the catheter shaft to the distal end of the deflectable tip for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis; a core wire extending through the central lumens of the catheter shaft and deflectable tip and attached to the distal end of the tip; and means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the deflectable tip about its longitudinal axis without deflecting the proximal portion of the catheter shaft about its longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a spring tube disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip, the spring tube including a polyimide cylinder which extends 1 cm to 3 cm into the central lumen of the catheter shaft; means extending from the proximal end of the catheter shaft to the distal end of the deflectable tip for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis; a core wire extending through the central lumens of the catheter shaft and deflectable tip and attached to the distal end of the tip; and means for applying torque to a proximal end of the core wire to deflect the deflectable tip about its longitudinal axis.
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33. A method for positioning an electrode within a heart chamber, said method comprising:
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percutaneously introducing the distal end of a catheter through the aorta to the heart chamber, wherein the electrode is disposed at the distal end of the catheter; deflecting the distal end of the catheter about a transverse axis by pulling on at least one pull wire attached to the distal end of the catheter to position the electrode near a target site on an interior wall of the heart chamber; and applying rotational torque to a proximal end of a core wire independent of said pull wire which extends through a central lumen of the catheter and is attached to the distal end of the catheter, whereby the distal end of the catheter is deflected about a longitudinal axis to further position the electrode near the target site. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a flexible distal tip section secured to the distal end of the shaft and having a central lumen coaxially aligned with the lumen of the shaft; means extending from the proximal end of the shaft to the distal tip section for deflecting the distal tip section about a transverse axis; an electrode disposed at the distal end of the distal tip; and a tapered core wire extending from the lumen of the catheter shaft, through the lumen of the distal tip section, and to the electrode, whereby uniform bending of the distal tip is enhanced. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; an electrode at the distal end of the shaft; means extending from the proximal end to the distal end of the shaft for deflecting a distal portion about a transverse axis, wherein said means includes at least three pull wires which are attached to radially offset locations at the distal end of the deflectable portion of the shaft, and means at the proximal end of the shaft for selectively applying tension to the pull wires to cause deflection of the deflectable portion; and an anchor plate secured between the distal end of the catheter shaft and the electrode, wherein said anchor plate receives the distal ends of the pull wires and is composed of an electrically and thermally insulating material. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, the deflectable tip including at least three radially offset lumens, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a resilient spring tube disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip; and means extending from the proximal end of the catheter shaft to the distal end of the deflectable tip for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis, said means for deflecting comprising at least three pull wires which are attached to radially offset locations at the distal end of the deflectable tip, and means at the proximal end of the shaft for selectively applying tension to the pull wires to cause deflection of the deflectable tip, wherein the pull wires are disposed in the central lumen of the catheter and disposed in the radially offset lumen in the deflectable tip. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A steerable catheter comprising:
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a catheter shaft having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween; a deflectable tip having a distal end, a proximal end, and a central lumen extending therebetween, wherein the proximal end of the deflectable tip is secured to the distal end of the catheter shaft; a resilient spring tube disposed coaxially in the central lumen of the deflectable tip, the spring tube comprising a polyimide cylinder which extends 1 cm to 3 cm into the central lumen of the catheter shaft; and means extending from the proximal end of the catheter shaft to the distal end of the deflectable tip for deflecting the tip about a transverse axis.
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Specification