Patent US2155854A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0868923A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Steerable catheter
Assignee: Artivion Inc
•
Filing: 1998-03-26
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2018-03-26
Abstract
Abstract An elongated steerable catheter for placement within a heart chamber, organ aperture or other body opening and having at least one center tube with hollow passageway for guiding a laser delivery means or other functional device to selected surfaces of a heart chamber, organ aperture or other body cavity for laser or other treatment thereon, particularly adapted for laser-assisted percutaneous transmyocardial revascularization (TMR), is disclosed herein. The steerable catheter has a handle portion at its proximal end and a controllably deflectable end portion at its distal end. The elongated center tube has a distal end, in the region where a curvature is to be formed, and a shim anchor sleeve is slidably disposed over the center tube. The shim anchor sleeve is attached to the inside wall of the outer jacket and coupled to the distal end of the center tube with a bendable shim member which extends between the distal tip of the steerable catheter and the sleeve over the center tube. Opposite the shim is a guide for a pull cable, the pull cable attached to the distal end of the steerable catheter and extending through the guide to the handle. Thus, the shim is maintained radially opposite the pull cable with the center tube in between. An outer jacket has, in a preferred embodiment, distinct sections of different stiffness or durometer. A distal, more flexible portion is coupled to a proximal, stiffer portion. The shim anchor sleeve is positioned at or near the junction of two portions of the outer jacket. Thus, the center tube moves freely through the shim anchor sleeve. Adjacent the handle, the outer jacket terminates at the catheter base. The pull cable extends past the catheter base, through a deflection housing tube, and terminates in a cable stop. Rotation of a deflection knob threadably mounted onto the deflection housing tube will cause the pull cable to be pulled backward, or the outer jacket to be pushed forward, relative to each other, thereby inducing deflection of the distal end of the steerable catheter.
Inventors
- 👤 Jeffrey Giba
- 👤 Michael Horzewski
- 👤 James Edward Wilson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:20
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0133; A61M25/0138; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61M25/0136; A61M25/0141; A61M25/0144; A61M25/0147; A61M25/0152; A61M25/0158; A61B17/00; A61B17/00234; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00247; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/00336; A61B2018/00315; A61B2018/00345; A61B2018/00351; A61B2018/00392; A61B2018/00636; A61B2018/00696; A61B2018/00738
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 42
Claim 1
Independent Claim
106 words
A deflectable, steerable catheter comprising a
modular handle at a proximal end and a deflectable tip at
a distal end, the modular handle comprising at least a
deflection component and a connector for attaching other
components; the distal end having an outer jacket
extending therefrom to at least a distal portion of the
modular handle and a center tube attached to the distal
tip and extending inside the outer jacket to terminate
within the modular handle, the center tube having a
proximal end free floating within the modular handle; the
steerable catheter further comprising a deflection
mechanism extending between the distal tip and the
deflection component.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
40 words
The steerable catheter of claim 1 further comprising
a shim anchor sleeve over a portion of the center tube
and allowing the center tube to slide therein, the shim
anchor sleeve attached to an inside wall of the outer
jacket.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The steerable catheter of claim 2, wherein the shim
anchor sleeve anchors the deflection mechanism.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The steerable catheter of claim 3 wherein the
deflection mechanism is a shim mounted to the distal tip
and to one side of the shim anchor sleeve and further
comprises a cable mounted to the distal tip and extending
through the shim anchor sleeve to the deflection
component.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
The steerable catheter of claim 4 in which the shim
anchor sleeve is disposed around the center tube a
selected distance from the distal end of the center tube
thereby defining and distinguishing a deflectable end
portion from an elongated central torquing portion of the
steerable catheter, the shim extending along the
deflectable end portion of the steerable catheter between
the distal tip and the shim anchor sleeve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims in which the center tube has a proximal end and a
distal end and at least one passageway extending
therethrough, the center tube for providing access to an
internal region of the body by a functional device
extended through the at least one passageway.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims in which the outer jacket has a proximal end and a
distal end and the deflection component comprises:
a catheter base, the catheter base having a proximal end
and a distal end, the distal end fixedly coupled to the
proximal end of the outer jacket; and a deflection housing tube having a proximal end and a
distal end, the pull cable fixedly attached to the
proximal end of the deflection housing tube, the distal
end of the deflection housing tube operatively coupled to
the proximal end of the catheter base to allow selective,
axial translation of the deflection housing tube relative
to the catheter base.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
88 words
The steerable catheter of claim 7, further
comprising: a deflection knob rotatably mounted to the catheter base
and having one or more helical grooves on an inner
annular region of an opening extending therethrough; and
one or more helical grooves on the distal end of the
deflection housing tube, the helical grooves of the
deflection knob corresponding in shape and dimension to
the one or more helical grooves of the deflection housing
tube such that rotation of the deflector knob causes
axial translation of the deflection housing tube.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims further comprising fiber advance means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The steerable catheter of claim 9, wherein fiber
advance means is a modular assembly detachably coupled to
the connector means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
133 words
The steerable catheter of claim 9, wherein the fiber
advance means comprises: a hollow housing defining mating connector means
attachable to the connector means of the deflection
component, the housing having an elongated slot therein; an advance slider member coupled to laser delivery means,
the advance slider member disposed within the housing; advance button extending into the elongated slot, the
advance button coupled to the advance slider member such
that directed translation of the advance button within
the elongated slot will cause simultaneous advance of the
laser delivery means through the center tube of the
steerable catheter as well as advance of a distal tip of
the laser delivery means out the distal tip of the
steerable catheter; and fiber retraction means for biasing the advance slider
member in a normally proximal-most position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The steerable catheter of claim 11, in which the
fiber retraction means is a biasing spring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims further comprising a depth stop means for
delimiting the advance of the distal end of a laser
delivery means or other functional device through the
center tube and out the distal tip of the steerable
catheter.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The steerable catheter of claim 2 in which the shim
anchor sleeve is coupled to the outer jacket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
The steerable catheter of claim 2 in which the shim
anchor sleeve is keyed to the outer jacket.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims further comprising a helical coil spring disposed
between at least a portion of the outer jacket and the
center tube.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The steerable catheter of claim 16, in which the
helical coil spring is made at least in part of a
radiopaque material to enhance visualization.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims in which the distal tip is made at least in part
of a radiopaque material to enhance visualization.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims in which the distal tip further comprises a
piercing tool.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
17 words
The steerable catheter of claim 19, in which the
piercing tool comprises a plurality of individual teeth.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The steerable catheter of claim 19, in which the
piercing tool comprises a tubular blade.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
30 words
The steerable catheter of claim 19, in which the
piercing tool defines an activation mechanism for causing
the piercing tool to be extended distally from the distal
tip when desired.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The steerable catheter of claim 22, in which the
activation mechanism comprises a pressure plate and
retraction spring.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The steerable catheter of claim 22, in which the
activation mechanism comprises at least one push rod.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The steerable catheter of any one of the preceding
claims in which the outer jacket has at least two
portions, a distal, more flexible, deflectable end
portion and a proximal, less flexible, steerable and
torqueable portion.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The steerable catheter of claim 25 further
comprising an helical coil spring encircling at least a
portion of the center tube.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
15 words
The steerable catheter of claim 26 in which the
helical coil supports the center tube.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The steerable catheter of claim 26 or claim 27 in
which the helical coil defines a bend radius during
deflection.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
25 words
The steerable catheter of any one of claims 26 to 28
in which the helical coil is formed of a radiopaque
material to enhance visualization.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
46 words
A modular handle for guiding a deflectable steerable
catheter through the vasculature of an individual for
treatment or therapy, the handle comprising a detachable
and interchangeable deflection module, a detachable and
interchangeable functional device module, and
conventional tubing and catheter introducer and fluid
seal attachment connectors.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The modular handle of claim 30 in which the
functional device module comprises a fiber optic laser
delivery means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
16 words
The modular handle of claim 30 in which the
functional device module comprises mechanical piercing
means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
17 words
The modular handle of claim 30 in which the
functional device module comprises a drug delivery
apparatus.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
95 words
A steerable catheter for transmyocardial
revascularization having a proximal end with a modular
handle and a distal end with a deflection mechanism
therein coupled to a distal tip, the modular handle
comprising a deflection module for activating the
deflection mechanism for causing deflection of the distal
tip, the steerable catheter further comprising an outer
jacket and an inner, center tube, the center tube
attached at a distal end to the distal tip, the steerable
catheter further comprising an optical fiber laser
delivery means disposed within the center tube for
extending therethrough for creating TMR channels.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The steerable catheter of claim 34 in which the
distal tip comprises retractable piercing means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
139 words
A steerable catheter insertable through the
vasculature comprising: a hollow outer jacket having proximal and distal ends; at least one inner tube within the hollow outer jacket,
the inner tube having a distal end attached to the distal
end of the hollow outer jacket, the inner tube further
having a proximal end free floating within the hollow
outer jacket, the inner tube adapted for insertion
therethrough of at least one tool slidably disposed
therein; and a deflection mechanism comprising an actuating assembly
at the proximal end of the hollow outer jacket, the
actuating assemble operatively attached to a deflector
device at the distal end of the hollow outer jacket, the
free floating inner tube sliding within the outer jacket
during activation of the deflector device by the
actuating assembly to deflect the distal end of the
hollow outer jacket.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
25 words
The steerable catheter of claim 36 further
comprising a retractable piercing tip proximal the distal
ends of both the outer jacket and the inner tube.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The steerable catheter of claim 36 or claim 37
further comprising a coil spring wrapped around at least
a portion of the inner tube for providing structural
support and for enhancing controllable deflection of the
distal end of the hollow outer jacket.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
32 words
The steerable catheter of any one of claims 36 to 38
in which at least portions of the inner tube and/or the
outer jacket comprise shape memory and/or superelastic
materials of construction.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
36 words
The steerable catheter of any one of claims 36 to 39
in which the actuating assembly is disposed within a
modular handle positioned adjacent the proximal end of
the hollow outer jacket.
the hollow outer jacket.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
The steerable catheter of claim 40 in which the
modular handle further comprises a fiber advance
mechanism for advancing an optical fiber or other
functional device through the center tube.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
32 words
The steerable catheter of claim 41 in which the
fiber advance mechanism further comprises a depth stop
adjustment means for controlling the advance distance of
the optical fiber or other functional device.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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