Bi-directional steerable catheter

• US 6,198,974 B1
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cordis Webster, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Cordis Webster, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Webster, Wilton W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US09/157,055
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/122, 607/125, 600/373-375, 600/381, 600/146, 600/149, 600/150, 606/41, 604/95, 604/280-281
• US Class Current: 607/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/015 Details of the distal fixation of the movable mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0136 Handles therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Abstract

A bi-directional electrode catheter comprising an elongated tubular catheter body, a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body and a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter. The tip section comprises two pair of generally diametrically opposed off-axis lumens. Two pair of puller wires extend from the handle, through the catheter body, and into the off-axis pair of lumens of the tip section, where they are anchored in the tip section at different locations along the length of the tip section. Compression coils extend through the catheter body in surrounding relation to the puller wires. At their proximal ends, the puller wires are attached to movable pistons in the control handle. Each piston is controlled by an operator using a slidable button fixedly attached to each piston. Movement of selected buttons results in deflection of the tip section into a generally planar “U”- or “S”-shaped curve.

Claims

1. A bi-directional steerable catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough;

a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least two diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens;

a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising at least four movable members movable between first and second positions;

two pairs of puller wires, each pair comprising associated long and short puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being connected to an associated movable member of the control handle, each pair of puller wires extending through a lumen of the catheter body, each short puller wire extending into the proximal portion of a separate one of the diametrically opposed off-axis lumens in the tip section wherein the distal end of the short puller wire of each pair of puller wires is anchored to the tip section at a first position along the length of the tip section, each long puller wire extending through at least the portion of the tip section distal to the first position wherein the distal end of the long puller wire of each puller wire pair is anchored to the tip section at a position distal to the anchor position of its associated short puller wire;

a compression coil extending through the catheter body in surrounding relation to each puller wire, each compression coil having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends of each compression coil being fixedly secured to the proximal end of the catheter body and wherein the distal ends of the compression coils in surrounding relation to the short puller wire of each puller wire pair is fixedly secured to one of the catheter body and tip section at a position proximal to the anchor position of the short puller wire to which it surrounds, and wherein the distal ends of the compression coil in surrounding relation to the long puller wire of each puller wire pair is fixedly secured to the tip section at a position proximal to the anchor position of the long puller wire to which it surrounds; and

wherein movement of a movable member from its first to its second position results in proximal movement of the puller wire associated with that movable member relative to the catheter body.

2. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the long puller wire of each puller wire pair is anchored at the distal end of the tip section.

3. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the short puller wire of each puller wire pair is anchored at about the midpoint of the tip section.

4. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the distal end of the compression coil in surrounding relation to each short puller wire is fixedly secured to one of the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the tip section.

5. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the distal end of the compression coil in surrounding relation to each long puller wire of each puller wire pair is fixedly secured to one of the distal end of the catheter body and the proximal end of the tip section.

6. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 4 wherein the distal end of the compression coil in surrounding relation to the long puller wire of a puller wire pair is secured to the tip section a position along the length of the tip section adjacent the anchor position of the short puller wire of that puller-wire pair.

7. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for preventing the movable member associated with the short puller wire of a puller wire pair from moving from its first to its second position when the movable member associated with the short puller wire of the other puller wire pair is in its second position and for preventing the movable member associated with the long puller wire of a puller wire pair from moving from its first to its second position when the movable member associated with the long puller wire of the other puller wire pair is in its second position.

8. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catheter body has a single lumen.

9. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1 comprising two diametrically opposed pairs of adjacent off-axis lumens and wherein each puller wire of a puller wire pair extends into a separate lumen of an adjacent off-axis lumen pair.

10. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tip section further comprises an axial lumen.

11. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 10 wherein the tip section further comprises an axial lumen wherein each long puller wire extends into and through the axial lumen of the tip section and then, at or distal to the anchor position of its associated short puller wire, extends into and through the off axis lumen of its associated short puller wire.

12. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tip section carries at least one electrode.

13. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tip section carries at least one ring electrode.

14. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tip section carries a tip electrode.

15. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an infusion tube extending through a lumen in the catheter body and through a lumen in the tip section for passing a fluid through the catheter body and tip section.

16. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a means for sensing the temperature of at least one electrode.

17. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic sensor disposed within the tip section.

18. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an optic fiber extending though a lumen in the catheter body and through a lumen in the tip section.

19. A bi-directional catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough;

a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body having two diametrically opposed pairs of adjacent off-axis lumens;

a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising at least four movable members that are movable between a first position and a second position;

two pairs of puller wires, each pair comprising associated long and short puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends and being attached at its proximal end to one of the movable members, wherein each puller wire of a puller wire pair extends through the lumen of the catheter body, and into one lumen of an off-axis lumen pair in the tip section, and wherein the short puller wires are anchored to the tip section along the length of the tip section and wherein the long puller wires are anchored to the tip section at a position distal to the anchor sites of its short puller wires at about the mid point of the tip section,

a compression coil having proximal and distal ends extending through the lumen of the catheter body in surrounding relation to each puller wire, the proximal end of each compression coil being securely fixed to the proximal end of the catheter body and the distal end of the each compression coil is fixedly secured to one of the distal end of the catheter body or the proximal end of the tip section; and

wherein movement of a selected movable member from its first position toward its second position results in deflection of a portion of the tip section in the direction of the off-axis lumen containing the puller wire associated with the selected movable member.

20. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the anchor locations of the short puller wires is about the mid point of the tip section.

21. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the catheter body has a single central lumen.

22. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the distal end of each compression coil is anchored within the proximal end of the tip section.

23. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tip section further comprises an axial lumen.

24. A bi-directional catheter as claimed in claim 19, wherein the tip section carries at least one electrode.

25. A bi-directional steerable catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough;

a catheter tip section at the distal end of the catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least two diametrically-opposed off-axis lumens;

a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising at least four movable members movable between first and second positions;

two pairs of puller wires, each pair comprising associated long and short puller wires, each puller wire having proximal and distal ends, the proximal end being connected to an associated movable member of the control handle, each pair of puller wires extending through a lumen of the catheter body, each short puller wire extending into the proximal portion of a separate one of the diametrically opposed off-axis lumens in the tip section wherein the distal end of the short puller wire of each pair of puller wires is anchored to the tip section at a first position along the length of the tip section, each long puller wire extending through at least the portion of the tip section distal to the first position wherein the distal end of the long puller wire of each puller wire pair is anchored to the tip section at a position distal to the anchor position of its associated short puller wire;

a compression coil extending through the catheter body in surrounding relation to each puller wire, each compression coil having proximal and distal ends, the proximal ends of each compression coil being fixedly secured to the proximal end of the catheter body and wherein the distal ends of the compression coils in surrounding relation to the short puller wire of each puller wire pair is fixedly secured to one of the catheter body and tip section at a position proximal to the anchor position of the short puller wire to which it surrounds, and wherein the distal ends of the compression coil in surrounding relation to the long puller wire of each puller wire pair is fixedly secured to the tip section at a position proximal to the anchor position of the long puller wire to which it surrounds; and

wherein movement of a movable member from its first to its second position results in proximal movement of the puller wire associated with that movable member relative to the catheter body.