EP0868922A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Enhanced contact steerable bowing electrode catheter assembly
Assignee: Medtronic Inc
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Filing: 1998-03-20
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2018-03-20
Abstract
Abstract A catheter assembly (2) includes a proximal end assembly (4), with four slidable movable manipulators (12, 14, 16, 18) and a bowing catheter (6) extending from the proximal end assembly. The bowing catheter includes an elongate, flexible catheter body (24), having a tip portion (30) carrying electrodes (32), first and second elongate push/pull manipulator wires (26, 28), and a sheath (22) housing the catheter body and manipulator wires. The sheath, catheter body and manipulator wires are each coupled to a manipulator. The manipulator wires are connected to positions (40, 42) on either side of a stiff tip segment (43). The manipulator wires have sufficient columnar strength/stiffness to maintain the tip segment at a range of relatively stable orientations to cause the bowed tip to be deflected in in-plane and out-of-plane deflections.
Inventors
- 👤 Hong Li
- 👤 Mark A. Maguire
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 02:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0147; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/04; A61B18/12; A61B18/14; A61B18/1492; A61B18/18; A61B18/1815; A61B2018/00053; A61B2018/0016; A61B2018/0091; A61M2025/0163; A61M25/0141
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A catheter assembly comprising: a proximal end assembly comprising first and second
movable manipulators; and a catheter extending from the proximal end assembly,
the catheter comprising: an elongate, flexible catheter body having a
tip portion with an electrode mounted thereto; and first and second elongate push/pull manipulator
elements having first and second distal ends, said first and
second manipulator elements coupled to the first and second
manipulators, said first and second distal ends connected to
first and second spaced-apart positions along the tip portion,
said first and second positions defining a tip segment
therebetween; whereby manipulation of the first and second
manipulators causes longitudinal movement of the first and
second manipulator elements thereby deflecting the tip
portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
62 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1,
wherein: said first and second manipulator elements each have
sufficient strength to deflect said tip portion by pushing on
the tip portion when axial movement is applied to at least one
of the first and second manipulator elements by said first and
second manipulators; and the tip portion has a plurality of electrodes
mounted thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1,
wherein the tip portion comprises a chosen one o (a) a
laterally-stabilized, substantially uni-directionally bending,
flattened corewire, or (b) a corewire having a round cross-sectional
shape.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1
wherein: the tip portion has a distal end and the second
manipulator element is coupled to the distal end of the tip
portion; and said first and second spaced-apart positions are
separated by about 3 mm to 80 mm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1
wherein: the proximal end assembly comprises a third
manipulator and the catheter body is coupled to the third
manipulator; said catheter comprises a catheter sheath at least
substantially housing said catheter body and the manipulator
elements; said proximal end assembly comprises a fourth
movable manipulator and the sheath is coupled to the fourth
manipulator; and the proximal end assembly comprises a housing and
the manipulators are movably mounted to the housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1
wherein: said catheter comprises a catheter sheath at least
substantially housing said catheter body and the manipulator
elements; and said proximal end assembly comprises a fourth
movable manipulator and the sheath is coupled to the fourth
manipulator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
89 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 6
wherein: the third manipulator is selectively securable to
the catheter body to permit the second manipulator element and
the catheter body to be secured to one another; the second manipulator is selectively securable to
the first manipulator element to permit the manipulator
elements to be secured to one another; and the fourth manipulator is selectively securable to
the first and second manipulator elements and the catheter
body to permit said sheath, manipulator elements and catheter
body to be secured to one another.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The catheter assembly according to claim 1
wherein the tip segment is a generally rigid tip segment with
an electrode mounted thereto.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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