Torquable catheter and method
First Claim
1. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending through at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, first and second pull strings secured between the handle and the distal extremity of the shaft, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, said torque tube being provided with a tip section and a tractable section proximal of the tip section and means for connecting one of said pull strings to said tip section and the other of said pull strings to said tractable section whereby the tip section can be bent by pulling on one of said pull strings and the tractable section can be bent by pulling on the other of said pull strings.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities. The shaft is comprised of a torque tube extending substantially the entire length of the shaft. The torque tube has a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein with the flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in the cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°. A flexible sleeve encloses the torque tube and serves to cover the flexible portion while permitting the torque tube to bend in the vicinity of the slot a predetermined amount which is less than that which would create a permanent strain in the torque tube.
625 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending through at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, first and second pull strings secured between the handle and the distal extremity of the shaft, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, said torque tube being provided with a tip section and a tractable section proximal of the tip section and means for connecting one of said pull strings to said tip section and the other of said pull strings to said tractable section whereby the tip section can be bent by pulling on one of said pull strings and the tractable section can be bent by pulling on the other of said pull strings.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending through at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, first and second pull strings secured between the handle and the distal extremity of the shaft, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, and a coil spring jacket disposed on each of said pull strings for minimizing friction between the pull strings and for minimizing friction of the pull strings in the tubular shaft.
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5. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending through at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, first and second pull strings secured between the handle and the distal extremity of the shaft, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, first and second knobs mounted on the handle and means for securing the first and second pull strings to the first and second knobs so as the first and second knobs are moved the pull strings are tensioned.
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6. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending through at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, first and second pull strings secured between the handle and the distal extremity of the shaft, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal extremity of the flexible elongate tubular member, first and second knobs mounted on the handle and means for securing the first and second pull strings to the first and second knobs so as that the first and second knobs are moved the pull strings are tensioned and means carried by the first and second knobs for distinguishing by feel of the human hand which is the first knob and which is the second knob.
- View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a metal torque tube extending for at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said metal torque having a thin cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- and a flexible sleeve of shrink tubing enclosing and in contact with said flexible portion of said metal torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said flexible portion of said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot but inhibiting placing a permanent strain in said flexible portion of said torque tube, said metal torque tube being provided with a flexible tip section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots to provide a metal backbone which is substantially planar extending longitudinally of the tip section and generally lying in a plane to permit bending of the tip section only in a direction which is perpendicular to the plane of the backbone.
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9. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a metal torque tube extending for at least a portion of the length of the shaft, said metal torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less of 360°
- , a flexible sleeve of shrink tubing enclosing and in contact with said flexible portion of said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion of said torque tube and permitting said flexible portion of said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot but inhibiting placing a permanent strain on said flexible portion of said torque tube, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, said torque tube being provided with a tractable section proximal of the distal extremity of the shaft, said tractable section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots subtending angles of less than 360°
with certain of said slots being radially offset from other of said slots whereby the tractable section can be prebent in at least two directions.
- , a flexible sleeve of shrink tubing enclosing and in contact with said flexible portion of said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion of said torque tube and permitting said flexible portion of said torque tube to bend in the vicinity of said slot but inhibiting placing a permanent strain on said flexible portion of said torque tube, a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, said torque tube being provided with a tractable section proximal of the distal extremity of the shaft, said tractable section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots subtending angles of less than 360°
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10. A catheter having a high torque capability adapted to be inserted into and through a lumen of a blood vessel comprising a flexible elongate tubular shaft having proximal and distal extremities, a length and a longitudinal axis, said shaft being comprised of a torque tube extending substantially the entire length of the shaft, said torque tube having a cylindrical wall with at least one flexible portion therein, said flexible portion being characterized in that at least one slot is provided in said cylindrical wall subtending an angle of less than 360°
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend i the vicinity of said slot a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, said torque tube being provided with a tractable section proximal of the distal extremity of the shaft, said tractable section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots subtending angles of less than 360°
with adjacent slots being radially offset from one another, said torque tube being provided with a tip section distal of the tractable section and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots substantially in radial alignment with each other and serving to provide a rib extending longitudinally of the tip section and generally lying in a plane. - View Dependent Claims (11)
- , a flexible sleeve enclosing said torque tube and serving to cover said flexible portion and permitting said torque tube to bend i the vicinity of said slot a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand and secured to the proximal extremity of said tubular shaft for causing rotation of the tubular shaft, said torque tube being provided with a tractable section proximal of the distal extremity of the shaft, said tractable section having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart slots subtending angles of less than 360°
- 12. A method for positioning a catheter in a vessel with the catheter having proximal and distal extremities, and having first and second pull lines having distal extremities secured to the distal extremity of the catheter and means for applying a tension to the pull lines with the catheter having a tip section and a tractable section proximal of the tip section, the method comprising forming a slight bend in the tractable section of the catheter outside of the vessel, introducing the catheter into the vessel and using one of the pull lines to place an additional bend in the tractable section and utilizing the other pull line to place a bend in the tip section.
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14. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable metal wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve of shrink tubing enclosing and in contact with the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis but inhibiting placing a permanent strain in said slotted-wall segment, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing said slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said elongate flexible body including an additional slotted-wall segment that is spaced from said at least one slotted-wall segment and including a malleable wall having at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
that is capable of retaining at a different radial angle another curvature different from said one different curvature, said flexible sleeve also enclosing the additional slotted-wall segment to permit the additional slotted-wall segment to bend without breaking, said at least one slotted-wall segment including a first array of slots, each slot subtending an angle of less than 360°
to impart flexibility in more than two bend directions about the longitudinal axis, said additional slotted wall segment including a second array of slots with each slot in the second array of slots subtending an angle of less than 360° and
differing from the first array to impart flexibility in no more than two bend directions about the longitudinal axis. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing said slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said elongate flexible body including an additional slotted-wall segment that is spaced from said at least one slotted-wall segment and including a malleable wall having at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
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26. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable metal wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve of shrink tubing enclosing and in contact with the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis but inhibiting placing a permanent strain in said slotted-wall segment, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said at least one slotted-wall segment comprising a plurality of segments aligned along the longitudinal axis with a plurality of slots therebetween and having interconnecting hinges permitting bending at the hinges.
- View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said at least one slotted-wall segment comprising a plurality of segments aligned along the longitudinal axis with a plurality of slots therebetween and having interconnecting hinges permitting bending at the hinges, the slots having a width which determines the maximum amount of bending between one segment and another.
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30. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said first means being in the form of a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand, said second means including first and second pull strings secured to the handle and to the distal end of the body and extending through the body means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal end of the body, said body being provided with a tip section and a tractable section proximal of the tip section and means for connecting said first pull string to said tip section and said second pull string to said tractable section whereby the tip section can be bent by pulling on first said pull string and the tractable section can be bent by pulling on said second pull string.
- View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said first means being in the form of a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand, said second means including first and second pull strings secured to the handle and to the distal end of the body and extending through the body, means carried by the handle for pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal end of the body and a coil spring jacket disposed on each of said first and second pull strings for minimizing friction between the first and second pull strings and for minimizing friction between the first and second pull strings and the malleable wall.
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33. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment and second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body for transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said first means being in the form of a handle adapted to be grasped by the human hand, said second means including first and second pull strings secured to the handle and to the distal end of the body and extending through the body and means carried by the handle pulling on said pull strings for causing bending of the distal end of the body and, said first and second pull strings being formed of Kevlar.
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34. A catheter comprising an elongate flexible body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the body including a malleable wall having at least one slotted-wall segment proximal of the distal end that includes at least one slot extending through the wall that subtends an angle of less than 360°
- so that said at least one slotted-wall segment is capable of retaining at least one different curvature in response to external manipulation, a flexible sleeve encasing the slotted-wall segment to permit the slotted-wall segment to bend along the axis without breaking, first means on the proximal end of the body for applying rotational torque for rotating the body about the longitudinal axis by transmitting the rotational torque to and through the slotted-wall segment, second means on the proximal end of the body and extending to the distal end of the body of transmitting a bending force to the distal end of the body, said at least one slotted-wall segment comprising a plurality of segments aligned along the longitudinal axis with a plurality of slots therebetween and having interconnecting hinges permitting bending at the hinges and superelastic memory metal elements disposed within the hinges and extending into the segments to urge the segments to return to a position in which the hinges are not bent.
- View Dependent Claims (35)
Specification