Catheter with a mechanism for omni-directional deflection of catheter shaft

A catheter configured for omni-directional deflection of a distal portion, comprising:

• a first tubular component having a distal portion and a proximal portion, said proximal portion being substantially linear in shape and said distal portion including a preformed curvilinear section;
• a second tubular component having a distal portion and a proximal portion, said second component being configured for individual slidable movement and common rotational movement relative to said first component, to thereby allow said distal portion of said second component to slidably bear against said preformed curvilinear section of said first component;
• a shaft having a shaft orientation and a distal portion and a proximal portion and an inner lumen configured to accommodate said first and second tubular components;
• a controller at a proximal end of said shaft and including a base and configured (i) to effect a relative axial movement between said first and second tubular components and (ii) to effect a rotational movement of said first component and said second component while said shaft orientation remains in a fixed rotational position relative to said base,
• wherein said first and second components are in a relation selected from the group comprising a first concentric arrangement where said first tubular component is received within a central lumen of said second tubular component;
• and a second concentric arrangement where said second component is received within a central lumen of said first tubular component, said first and second components are concentric with said shaft over said proximal portion of said shaft including said proximal end and said distal portion of said shaft.

A method of making a catheter configured for omni-directional deflection of a distal portion, comprising the steps of:

• producing a first tubular component having a distal portion and a proximal portion, said proximal portion being substantially linear in shape and the distal portion including a preformed curvilinear section;
• producing a second tubular component having a distal portion and a proximal portion;
• coupling the first and second components so as to allow individual slidable movement and common rotational movement, to thereby allow the distal portion of the second component to slidably bear against the preformed curvilinear section of the first component, wherein coupling comprises disposing the first and second components in a relation selected from the group comprising (i) a first concentric arrangement where said first tubular component is received within a central lumen of said second tubular component;
• and (ii) a second concentric arrangement where said second component is received within a central lumen of said first tubular component;
• disposing the first and second components in an inner lumen of a shaft to thereby produce a shaft assembly such that the first and second components and the shaft are concentric over a proximal portion of the shaft including a proximal end thereof and a distal portion of the shaft;
• and
• coupling the shaft assembly to a controller such that the shaft is in a predetermined shaft orientation relative to the controller and wherein the controller is configured (i) to effect a relative axial movement between the first and second tubular components and (ii) to effect a rotational movement of the first and second components while the shaft orientation remains fixed, said controller being disposed at the proximal end of said shaft.

A method of operating a catheter for omni-directional deflection of a distal portion, comprising the steps of:

• disposing a first component of the catheter and a second component of the catheter in a relation selected from the group comprising (i) a first concentric arrangement where the first component is received within a central lumen of the second component;
• and (ii) a second concentric arrangement where the second component is received within a central lumen of the first component;
• imparting, with respect to a preformed curvilinear section at a distal end of the first component, a relative slidable axial movement to the second component that is substantially straight so as to vary where a distal end portion of the second component bears against the preformed curvilinear section, thereby altering a shape of the preformed curvilinear section, and wherein the first and second components are concentric with a shaft over a proximal portion including a proximal end of the shaft and a distal portion of the shaft;
• and
• rotating the first and second components while maintaining a shaft orientation of the shaft of the catheter in which the first and second components are disposed in a fixed position relative to a controller located at the proximal end of the shaft operative to effect said rotating wherein said rotating alters an orientation of the preformed curvilinear section.

A catheter configured for omni-directional deflection of a distal portion, comprising:

• a shaft assembly including a first component having a preformed curvilinear section, a substantially straight second component slidably disposed with respect to said first component, and a shaft with an inner lumen configured to accommodate said first and second components wherein said first and second components are in a relation selected from the group comprising a first concentric arrangement where said first tubular component is received within a central lumen of said second tubular component;
• and a second concentric arrangement where said second component is received within a central lumen of said first tubular component, and wherein said first and second components are concentric with said shaft over a proximal portion including a proximal end of said shaft and a distal portion of said shaft;
• means disposed at said proximal end of said shaft for imparting a relative axial movement of said second component with respect to said preformed curvilinear section so as to vary a position where a distal end portion of said second component bears against said preformed curvilinear section, thereby altering a shape of said preformed curvilinear section;
• and
• means disposed at said proximal end of said shaft for rotating said first and second components while maintaining a shaft orientation of said shaft in a fixed position relative to said rotating means, thereby altering an orientation of said preformed curvilinear section.