Single gear drive bidirectional control handle for steerable catheter

• US 6,468,260 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2000
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Christie, Bruce A., Bumbalough, Timothy Ray, Duncan, Matthew F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITE, DWAYNE J
• Application Number:
  US09/546,310
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 604/95.04, 604/528, 604/523, 604/164.13, 600/434, 600/433
• US Class Current: 604/523
• 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 steerable catheter comprising an elongated, tubular catheter body having at least one lumen, a tip section comprising flexible tubing having at least two lumens and fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body, and a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body. The control handle comprises a generally hollow handle housing, a generally tubular core extending longitudinally within the housing, and a generally circular spur gear rotatably mounted within the handle housing. First and second pistons are slidably mounted on the diametrically opposed sides of the spur gear and have puller wires attached to their distal ends. A longitudinally movable thumb control is fixedly attached to the first piston and accessible from outside the handle housing.

Claims

1. A bidirectional steerable catheter comprising:

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

a tip section comprising flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least two lumens extending therethrough, the proximal end of the tip section being fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body;

a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising;

a generally-hollow handle housing having proximal and distal ends and inside and outside surfaces,

a generally tubular core extending longitudinally within the housing,

a generally-circular spur gear rotatably mounted within the handle housing, the spur gear having teeth about its outer circumference, and

first and second pistons slidably mounted on diametrically opposed sides of the spur gear and at least partially in surrounding relation to the tubular core within the handle housing, each having an interior edge generally facing the interior edge of the other piston and comprising a series of teeth along its interior edge that engage the teeth of the spur gear, whereby proximal movement of one piston results in rotational movement of the spur gear and distal movement of the other piston;

a longitudinally movable thumb control fixedly attached to the first piston and accessible from outside the handle housing; and

first and second puller wires having proximal and distal ends, each puller wire extending from the control handle, through a lumen in the catheter body and into a lumen in the tip section, the distal end of each puller wire being fixedly attached to the tip section, the proximal end of the first puller wire being anchored to the first piston and the proximal end of the second puller wire being anchored to the second piston;

whereby proximal movement of the thumb control relative to the handle housing results in proximal movement of the first piston and first puller wire relative to the handle housing and catheter body, which results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen into which the first puller wire extends; and

further whereby distal movement of the thumb control relative to the handle housing results in distal movement of the first piston, causing proximal movement of the second piston and puller wire relative to the handle housing and catheter body, which results in deflection of the tip section in the direction of the lumen into which the second puller wire extends.

2. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the spur gear is mounted in the core.

3. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the thumb control is mounted on the distal end of the first piston.

4. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the first piston has at least one opening therethrough for passage of a puller wire.

5. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein:

the first piston has a tubular distal region that completely surrounds the core and a proximal region having a generally-semicircular cross-section that partially surrounds the core; and

the second piston comprises a proximal region having a generally-semicircular cross-section that partially surrounds the core;

whereby the proximal region of the secondary piston and the proximal region of the primary piston contact each other and together completely surround the core.

6. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the gear teeth on the first piston are skewed in the area in contact with the spur gear when the tip section is not deflected, the interaction between the angled gear teeth and the spur gear providing audible and tactile responses to enable the user to sense when the tip section is not deflected.

7. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the distal end of the first piston comprises an exterior circumferential lip, and wherein the thumb control comprises a corresponding interior circumferential groove, the exterior lip having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the thumb control but smaller than the inner diameter of the interior circumferential groove, and the interior groove having a length greater than the length thickness of the exterior lip.

8. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the washer is integral with the distal end of the interior member.

9. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the washer is mounted distal to the interior member.

10. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the first piston has a tubular distal region that complete surrounds the core and a proximal region that partially surrounds the core.

11. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 10, wherein the proximal region has a generally-semicircular cross-section.

12. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the second piston comprises a proximal region having a generally-semicircular cross-section that partially surrounds the core.

13. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 12, wherein the second piston further comprises a generally rectangular stem extending distally from the proximal region.

14. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 13, wherein the generally rectangular stem is slidably mounted within a longitudinal slot within the core.

15. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 1, wherein the first piston comprises a tab extending radially outward, and wherein the control handle housing comprises a groove on its inside surface that is capable of accommodating the tab and positioned so that the tab is seated in the groove when the tip section is not deflected.

16. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 15, wherein the tab is positioned at the end of a flexible finger extending longitudinally from the proximal end of the first piston.

17. A catheter comprising:

a catheter body having a tubular wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough;

a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising;

a housing having proximal and distal ends,

an interior core within the housing and attached to the catheter body, and

a fastener mechanically connecting the handle housing to the core through an opening in the handle housing, the fastener comprising a body having a top side and a bottom side that fits within the opening in the handle housing and at least two flexible prongs extending from the underside of the body that mate with the core.

18. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 17, wherein the fastener body has a generally ovular shape.

19. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 17, wherein the fastener body is generally flat.

20. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 17, wherein the fastener is provided with a design or other insignia relevant to the catheter.

21. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 17, wherein the fastener comprises two pairs of flexible prongs, each pair comprising an outer prong and an inner prong, wherein each pair of prongs is received by a recess in the core.

22. A bidirectional steerable catheter according to claim 21, wherein the outer prongs comprise outwardly extending ears, so that, when the fastener is snapped into the opening of the handle housing, the ears extend under the opening to keep the fastener in place in the housing.

23. A catheter comprising:

a catheter body having a tubular wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough;

a control handle mounted to the proximal end of the catheter body, the control handle comprising;

a housing having proximal and distal ends,

a tubular core within the housing and fixedly attached to the housing and catheter body;

an interior member within the housing having proximal and distal ends and being longitudinally moveable relative to the housing and tubular core;

a washer comprising a proximal ring and an outer wall extending distally therefrom mounted about the tubular core;

a flexible o-ring having inner and outer surfaces and sitting within the washer so that the outer surface of the o-ring is in contact with the outer wall of the washer and the inner surface of the o-ring is in contact with the core;

a thumb control knob threadably-engaged to the distal end of the interior member;

whereby, when the thumb control knob is screwed onto the proximal piston, it compresses the o-ring into the washer, pressing the inner surface of the o-ring against the core so that the user can adjust the tension on the thumb control by screwing or unscrewing the thumb control.