Steerable medical device with strain relief elements

A robotically steerable medical instrument, comprising:

• a catheter body having a proximal section configured to be mechanically coupled to an actuator system and a distal section configured to be actuated by the actuator system, the catheter body defining a tool channel which extends along a central axis from a proximal end to a distal end of the catheter body and having plural control wires and at least one electrical cable arranged lengthwise along a wall of the catheter body,
• wherein the control wires link the distal section to the actuator system and are configured to transfer an actuating force from the actuator system to the distal section of the catheter body so as to bend at least a portion of the distal section,
• wherein the distal section includes a plurality of wire-guiding members arranged at a predetermined distance from each other so as to form a plurality of void regions alternately interposed with the plurality of wire-guiding members in the lengthwise direction of the catheter body,
• wherein the electrical cable configured to establish an electrical connection between an electrical circuit located outside the catheter body and an electronic component arranged at the distal end or within the distal section of the catheter body, and
• wherein the electrical cable includes strain relief elements arranged in one or more void regions such that when the electrical cable is subjected to a tensile load by the actuating force bending the distal section of the catheter body, the strain relief elements within the one or more void regions minimize the tensile load on the electrical cable.