Bi-directional steerable catheter with asymmetric fulcrum
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A steerable medical device, comprising:
- an elongated tubular body;
a center support wire extending along the tubular body;
a first stiffening member extending along the tubular body;
a second stiffening member extending along the tubular body distally of the first stiffening member, wherein the second stiffening member is disposed on one side of the center support wire;
a first steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire, wherein operation of the first steering wire bends the center support wire in a first direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point adjacent a distal end of the second stiffening member; and
a second steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire, wherein operation of the second steering wire bends the center support wire in a second direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point adjacent a distal end of the first stiffening member, wherein the second direction is non-perpendicular to the first direction.
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Abstract
A steerable medical device comprises an elongated tubular body and first and second stiffening members, preferably in the form of compression coils or flat flexible wires. The stiffening members are arranged such that when a user engages a steering assembly, incorporated into the device, a distal end of the tubular body can be selectively bent in a first direction into a first configuration or in a second direction into a second configuration. The first and second configurations are functions of the lengths and locations of the first and second stiffening members.
141 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A steerable medical device, comprising:
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an elongated tubular body;
a center support wire extending along the tubular body;
a first stiffening member extending along the tubular body;
a second stiffening member extending along the tubular body distally of the first stiffening member, wherein the second stiffening member is disposed on one side of the center support wire;
a first steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire, wherein operation of the first steering wire bends the center support wire in a first direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point adjacent a distal end of the second stiffening member; and
a second steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire, wherein operation of the second steering wire bends the center support wire in a second direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point adjacent a distal end of the first stiffening member, wherein the second direction is non-perpendicular to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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26. A steerable medical device, comprising:
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an elongated tubular body;
a substantially flat center support wire extending along the tubular body, the center support wire having first and second oppositing surfaces;
a first stiffening member extending distally to a first intermediate point on the tubular body;
a second stiffening member extending from a second intermediate point on the tubular body to a third intermediate point on the tubular body, wherein the second stiffening member is disposed along one of the opposing surfaces of the center support wire;
a first steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire at a point distal to. the third intermediate point, wherein operation of the first steering wire bends the center support wire towards the second stiffening member in a first direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point adjacent the third intermediate point; and
a second steering wire having a distal end coupled to the center support wire at a point distal to the first intermediate point, wherein operation of the second steering wire bends the center support wire away from the second stiffening member in a second direction to create a bending moment having a fulcrum point proximal to the second intermediate point, wherein the second direction is non-perpendicular to the first direction.
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47. A steerable medical device, comprising:
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an elongated tubular body with a proximal end and a distal end;
means for selectively bending the tubular body in a first direction into a first configuration;
means for selectively bending the tubular body in a second direction into a second configuration that is different from the first configuration, the second direction being non-perpendicular to the first direction. - View Dependent Claims (48)
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Specification