Articulated systems for cardiac ablation
First Claim
1. An end assembly attached to the distal end of a catheter tube comprisinga socket positioned on the distal end of said assemblya rotatable ball pivotally supported in said socket and extending distally therefrom,a functional element having a major axis, said functional element being supported on said ball with its major axis aligned with the axis of the catheter tube for steering to a tissue site and for pivoting the functional element in response to an external force to orient the major axis of the functional element generally parallel to the plane of the tissue site without bending the catheter tube,a cable extending within the catheter tube into said socket and through a passage within said ball, the distal end of said cable being attached to said functional element, anda plurality of steering wires connected to said ball and to a remote actuator mechanism accessible to the user for applying the external force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved assembly for steering and orienting a functional element at the distal end of a catheter tube holds the functional element with its major axis aligned with the axis of the catheter tube for convenient steering to a tissue site. The mechanism can also pivot the functional element in response to an external force to orient the major axis of the functional element generally parallel to the plane of the tissue site, without bending the catheter tube.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An end assembly attached to the distal end of a catheter tube comprising
a socket positioned on the distal end of said assembly a rotatable ball pivotally supported in said socket and extending distally therefrom, a functional element having a major axis, said functional element being supported on said ball with its major axis aligned with the axis of the catheter tube for steering to a tissue site and for pivoting the functional element in response to an external force to orient the major axis of the functional element generally parallel to the plane of the tissue site without bending the catheter tube, a cable extending within the catheter tube into said socket and through a passage within said ball, the distal end of said cable being attached to said functional element, and a plurality of steering wires connected to said ball and to a remote actuator mechanism accessible to the user for applying the external force.
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8. An end assembly supported on the distal end of a catheter tube comprising
a socket housing Joined to the distal end of the catheter tube, a ball element carried in the socket housing for pivotal movement within it, a functional element attached to the distal end of the ball element for unified pivotal movement with It at the distal end of the catheter, a wire extending through the catheter tube and the ball element for conveying energy to the functional element, and the ball element including an interior passage for the wire from the catheter tube to the attached functional element, and steering means connected to the ball element and to a remote actuator mechanism accessible to the user for applying en external force to pivot the ball element, the steering means including at least one steering wire attached to the ball element and the remote actuator mechanism.
Specification