Steerable catheter with brake assembly
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsAndrew CAMPBELL, Paul Barner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catheter includes a handle and an elongate member extending from the handle. The catheter may also include steering system coupled to the handle. The steering system may be configured to deflect at least a portion of the elongate member in at least one direction. The catheter may also include a locking mechanism configured to lock the portion of the elongate member in a deflected configuration, and a lever coupled to the handle. The lever may be configured to move from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism. The lever may also be configured to be separably retained at least at one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween.
Claims21
1-20. (canceled)
A catheter, comprising:
- a handle;
- a tubular member extending from the handle;
- a steering system coupled to the handle, wherein the steering system is configured to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction;
- a locking mechanism configured to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration;
- and
- a lever coupled to the handle and configured to move from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism, wherein the lever is configured to be separably retained by a feature of the handle at least at one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween.
A catheter, comprising:
- a handle;
- a tubular member extending distally from the handle;
- a steering system comprising:
- at least one spool configured to rotate to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction;
- at least one pinion gear fixedly coupled to the at least one spool;
- a rack gear configured to engage with the pinion gear to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration;
- and
- a spring configured to bias the rack gear away from the at least one pinion gear.
A method of using a catheter, the method comprising:
- positioning the catheter in a body of a patient so that a handle of the catheter is located outside of the body while a distal portion of a tubular member of the catheter is located within the body;
- activating a steering mechanism to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction;
- and
- engaging a locking mechanism of the catheter to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration, wherein the engaging comprises:
- unlocking a lever coupled to the handle;
- and
- moving the lever from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism, wherein the lever is configured to be separably retained by a feature of the handle at least at one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.