Steerable sheath for use with selected removable optical catheter

• US 5,325,845 A
• Filed: 06/08/1992
• Issued: 07/05/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edwin L. Adair
• Original Assignee: Edwin L. Adair
• Inventors: Adair, Edwin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHARD, KAREN
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jalbert, Karen
• Application Number:
  US07/894,824
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 128/4, 128/6, 604/95, 138/120
• US Class Current: 600/114
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2238 with means for selectively laterally deflecting the tip of the fibre

Abstract

A steerable sheath for use with one of several optical catheters is provided to be positioned in a passageway leading to a body cavity of a patient for observation and/or treatment. The apparatus includes an elongated, deformable, hollow body having a distal end and a proximal end. An optical catheter is removably extendable through the body and has a distal end which is alignable with the distal end of the body and a proximal end extendable outwardly beyond the proximal end of the body. An articulatable hollow, cylindrical member is provided within the sheath body at the distal end thereof and extends along the sheath body for a short distance toward the proximal end. A first generally cylindrical yoke is pivotally mounted about an axis at the proximal end of the sheath body. The proximal ends of a first pair of wires which extend longitudinally within the sheath body from the distal end thereof to the proximal end are attached to the first yoke and offset 90° from the first yoke axis. A first knob is connected to the first yoke for rotating it back and forth about the first yoke axis to alternately push and pull the first pair of wires to steer the cylindrical member in an appropriate direction. A method is also contemplated using the apparatus in conducting an investigation and/or operative procedure.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus having a steerable and removable sterile sheath which is disposable after a single use, for use with an optical catheter which has no steering mechanism, wherein said sheath with a catheter therein is positionable in a passageway leading to a body cavity of a patient for observation and/or treatment, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated, bendable, hollow body having a distal end, a proximal end and a central channel extending from said proximal end to said distal end for receiving an optical catheter having a distal end alignable with said distal end of said body and a proximal end extendable outwardly beyond said proximal end of said body, the catheter being conformable to the shape and movement of said body;

an articulatable hollow, cylindrical member within said sheath body at the distal end thereof having a distal end and extending along said sheath body for a short distance toward said proximal end;

activatable means extending within said sheath body from a connection to said articulatable member to said proximal end of said sheath;

control means connected to said activatable means at said proximal end of said sheath for selectively deflecting said articulatable member and said distal end of said sheath body to bend the distal end of the removable catheter therein

a flexible and removable non-steerable catheter having a longitudinal body having a distal end, said distal end of said catheter body being aligned with said distal end of said sheath so that said distal end of said catheter bends with said distal end of said sheath when said distal end of said sheath is deflected by said control means;

a fiber bundle extending through said longitudinal body for providing light to the site; and

an optic bundle extending through said longitudinal body for transmitting an image from the site to a viewing device.

2. A medical apparatus having a steerable and disposable sterile medical sheath for use with one of several selected removable and flexible non-steerable medical optical catheters wherein said sheath with one of the catheters therein is positionable in a passageway leading to an observation and/or treatment site of a patient, said sheath comprising:

an elongated, bendable, hollow body having a distal end, a proximal end and a central channel extending from aid proximal end to said distal end for removably receiving an optical catheter wherein the distal end of the catheter is alignable with said distal end of said body and a proximal end of the catheter is extendable outwardly beyond said proximal end of said body, the catheter being conformable to the shape and movement of said body;

an articulate hollow, cylindrical member within said sheath body at the distal end thereof extending along said sheath body for a short distance from said distal end;

a first pair of wires extending longitudinally within said sheath body from said distal end thereof to said proximal end thereof, each of said wires having a distal end connected on opposite sides of said distal end of said articulatable member; and

first control means to simultaneously and alternatingly push one of said first pair of wires in the distal direction and pull the other of said first pair of wires to deflect said articulatable member and said distal end of said sheath body

a flexible and removable non-steerable catheter having a longitudinal body having a distal end, said distal end of said catheter body being aligned with said distal end of said sheath so that said distal end of said catheter bends with said distal end of said sheath when said distal end of said sheath is deflected by said first control means;

a fiber bundle extending through said longitudinal body for providing light to the site; and

an optic bundle extending through said longitudinal body for transmitting an image from the site to a viewing device.

3. Apparatus, as claimed in claim 2, further including:

a second pair of wires extending longitudinally within said sheath body from said distal end thereof to said proximal end thereof, each of said second pair of wires having a distal end connected on opposite sides of said distal end of said articulatable member and offset 90°

from said first pair of wires; and

a second control means to simultaneously and alternatingly push one of said second pair of wires in the distal direction and pull the other of said second pair of wires to deflect said articulatable member and said distal end of said sheath body 90°

out of phase wit the deflection caused by said first pushing and pulling means.