Catheter stiffness adjustment system and method
AssigneeDePuy Synthes Products, Inc.
InventorARGUELLO EDWARD
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catheter stiffener adjustment system including a first member with an outer diameter and having at least three first segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other, and a second member having an inner diameter defining a passageway through which the first member is movable relative to the second member. The second member has at least three second segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other. In a first position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially in phase to generate a first flexure condition. In a second position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially out of phase to generate a second, stiffer flexure condition.
Claims20
A catheter stiffener adjustment system, comprising:
- a first member having an outer diameter and having at least three first segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other;
- a second member having an inner diameter defining a passageway through which the first member is movable relative to the second member, and having at least three second segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other;
- in a first position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially in phase to generate a first flexure condition;
- and
- in a second position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially out of phase to generate a second, stiffer flexure condition.
A catheter stiffener adjustment system, comprising:
- a first, substantially tubular member having an outer diameter and having at least three first segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other;
- a second, substantially tubular member disposed substantially concentrically about the first member and having an inner diameter defining a passageway through which the first member is movable relative to the second member by at least one of rotation and translation, the inner diameter of the second member being greater than the outer diameter of the first member, and having at least three second segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other, at least the three first segments and the three second segments having sufficiently similar lengths to enable alignment substantially in phase with the first and second members in a first position and, in a second position, being alignable substantially out of phase;
- in the first position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially in phase to generate a first flexure condition;
- and
- in the second position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially out of phase to generate a second, stiffer flexure condition, the first member and the second member being at least one of rotatable and translatable relative to each other in both the first and second positions.
A catheter having a stiffener adjustment system, comprising:
- an outer catheter body having a central lumen;
- a first member having an outer diameter and having at least three first segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other;
- a second member movable through the central lumen of the catheter body and having an inner diameter defining a passageway through which the first member is movable relative to the second member, and having at least three second segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other;
- in a first position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially in phase to generate a first flexure condition for the catheter;
- and
- in a second position, the first segments and the second segments are alignable substantially out of phase to generate a second, stiffer flexure condition for the catheter.
A method of adjusting the stiffness of a catheter, comprising:
- selecting a catheter having an outer catheter body defining a central lumen, the catheter further having a first member with an outer diameter and having at least three first segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other, and a second member movable through the central lumen of the catheter body and having an inner diameter defining a passageway through which the first member is movable relative to the second member, and having at least three second segments with at least one joint enabling the segments to bend relative to each other, at least the three first segments and the three second segments having sufficiently similar lengths to enable alignment substantially in phase with the first and second members in a first position, in a second position, being alignable substantially out of phase;
- aligning the first segments and the second segments substantially in phase to generate a first flexure condition for the catheter;
- and
- aligning the first segments and the second segments substantially out of phase to generate a second, stiffer flexure condition for the catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.