Steerable Catheter With Flexing Tip Member

A steerable catheter device, comprising:

• a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis;
• a flexing tip member coupled to the distal end of said catheter body and having a length, wherein said flexing tip member comprises a wall with a first plurality of arcuate slits and a second plurality of arcuate slits, wherein said first and second plurality of slits are diametrically opposed, and wherein said first plurality of slits alternate with said second plurality of slits;
• an actuator that bends said flexing tip member;
• and
• an imaging device coupled to a distal end of said flexing tip member;
• wherein at least a portion of said catheter body comprises a braided sheath.

A method of orienting a catheter device within a bodily cavity, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a catheter within a bodily cavity, the catheter comprising:
• a catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis, wherein at least a portion of said catheter body comprises a braided sheath;
• a flexing tip member coupled to the distal end of said catheter body and having a length, wherein said flexing tip member comprises a wall with a first plurality of arcuate slits and a second plurality of arcuate slits, wherein said first and second plurality of arcuate slits are diametrically opposed, and wherein said first plurality of arcuate slits alternate with said second plurality of arcuate slits;
• and
• bending said flexing tip member in at least one direction;
• wherein each of said first and second plurality of slits has two ends and a center positioned midway between the two ends and wherein all of said first plurality of slits have centers positioned along a first axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter body and all of said second plurality of slits have centers positioned along a second axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter body.