Deflectable catheter with bonded center strut and method of manufacture for same
AssigneeBiosense Webster, Inc.
InventorsDebby Grunewald, Irma Hill, Thomas Vaino Selkee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catheter for diagnosing or treating the vessels found within a body or body space includes a center strut that is bonded, preferably thermally, along its longitudinal axis with the thermoplastic tubular member within which it is housed. The tubular member preferably has three layers: an inner layer, a braided layer and an outer layer. The composite catheter is made using a process in which two half-cylinder shaped mandrels are placed on each side of the center strut while the strut is heated in order to cause the thermal bonding. The bonded center strut provides in-plane deflection and improved transfer of torque to the tip of the catheter.
Claims33
A catheter for use in a vessel comprising:
- an elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having a first lumen disposed therein;
- a tip electrode disposed at the distal end of the tubular member;
- a center strut extending from near the proximal end of the tip electrode through a deflectable distal portion of the elongate tubular member and having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge;
- wherein the center strut is bonded to the elongate tubular member substantially along entire length of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge to create an inseparable composite structure from the center strut and the elongate tubular member.
A catheter for use in a vessel comprising:
- an elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having a first lumen disposed therein;
- a tip electrode disposed at the distal end of the tubular member;
- a center strut extending from near the proximal end of the tip electrode through a deflectable distal portion of the elongate tubular member and having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge;
- a molded coupling having a distal portion adapted to receive a portion of the proximal end of the tip electrode and having a proximal portion having at least one slot adapted to receive at least one of the first or second longitudinal edges of the center strut;
- wherein the center strut is bonded to the elongate tubular member substantially along entire length of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge to create an inseparable composite structure of the center strut and the elongate tubular member.
A method for manufacturing a distal tip for a deflectable catheter comprising the steps of:
- coating a cylindrical mandrel having a diameter with a first layer of thermoplastic material;
- covering the first layer of thermoplastic material with a braided layer;
- coating the braided layer with a second layer of thermoplastic material;
- removing the cylindrical mandrel thereby creating a tubular member;
- placing a strut having a width substantially similar to the diameter of the cylindrical mandrel, a length substantially greater than the width and a thickness substantially less than the width into the tubular member;
- disposing on each side of the strut half-cylindrical mandrels to create an interim assembly;
- and,
- heating the interim assembly in order to cause a thermal bonding between the first layer and the strut.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.