# US 2022/0032007 A1 · Devices and methods for selectively deploying catheter instruments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0032007 A1 - Document ID: US20220032007A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/367,283 - Filed: 2021-07-02 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-03 - Assignees: Thermedical, Inc. - Applicants: Thermedical, Inc. - Inventors: Michael G. Curley; Fredrick J. Kim; Michael T. Howard; Erik Delly; Gregory R. Eberl; Jeffrey J. Lesica - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220032007A1 ## CPC - A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)} - A61M 25/0084: {being one or more injection needles} - A61B 18/1477: {Needle-like probes} - A61M 25/0074: {Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable} - A61M 25/0147: {with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires} - A61B 2018/00029: {open} - A61B 2018/00041: {Heating, e.g. defrosting} - A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation} - A61B 2018/046: {in liquid form} - A61B 2018/1425: {Needle} - A61B 2018/1475: {Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing} - A61B 2090/034: {abutting on parts of the device itself} - A61B 2218/002: Irrigation - A61M 2025/0089: {Single injection needle protruding axially, i.e. along the longitudinal axis of the catheter, from the distal tip} - A61M 2202/0468: non-physiological - A61M 2205/054: with electrotherapy - A61M 2205/3653: by Joule effect, i.e. electric resistance - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} ## Abstract Catheters with deployable instruments (e.g., needles) can damage tissue if the instrument unintentionally deploys during use. Described herein are devices and methods for controlling the position of a deployable catheter instrument. In one embodiment, a catheter can include an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter and coupled to at least one protrusion, as well as a retraction stop coupled to the catheter. The catheter can further include a biasing element coupled to the instrument that can urge the instrument proximally such that the at least one protrusion abuts against the retraction stop, as well as an advancing mechanism to selectively engage the instrument and urge it distally. In some embodiments, the biasing element can be omitted and a deployment stop can be included distal to the retraction stop. These configurations can prevent unintentional instrument deployment and provide greater positioning precision during instrument deployment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter, comprising: an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter, the instrument being coupled to at least one protrusion; a retraction stop coupled to the catheter proximal to the at least one protrusion; a biasing element coupled to the instrument and configured to urge the instrument proximally such that the at least one protrusion abuts against the retraction stop; and an advancing mechanism configured to selectively engage the instrument and urge the instrument distally relative to the catheter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the catheter is steerable using one or more control cables extending through the catheter. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The catheter of claim 2, wherein the one or more control cables terminate at a position proximal to the retraction stop. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the advancing mechanism includes a tab coupled to a proximal portion of the instrument. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the advancing mechanism includes a clutch to selectively engage the instrument. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, further comprising at least one indicator light configured to activate when the advancing mechanism engages the instrument. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The catheter of claim 4, wherein the clutch is positioned in a proximal portion of the catheter within a handle assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the advancing mechanism includes one or more predetermined distance increments that can be selected to urge the instrument distally by the predetermined distance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is positioned in a proximal portion of the catheter within a handle assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the retraction stop is positioned such that a distal tip of the instrument is proximal to a distal tip of the catheter when the at least one protrusion is abutting against the retraction stop. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein the advancing mechanism is configured to advance the instrument distally such that the distal tip of the instrument is distal to the distal tip of the catheter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one protrusion includes one or more fluid channels formed therein to allow fluid flow there-through. ### Claim at position 13 13-21. (canceled) ### Claim 22 A method for selectively deploying an instrument from a catheter, comprising: urging an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of a catheter toward a proximal end of the catheter such that at least one protrusion coupled to the instrument abuts against a retraction stop coupled to a distal portion of the catheter; coupling an advancing mechanism to the instrument to control movement of the instrument within the catheter; and actuating the advancing mechanism to urge the instrument distally relative to the catheter. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein urging the instrument distally relative to the catheter includes advancing the instrument from a first position wherein a distal tip of the instrument is proximal to a distal tip of the catheter to a second position wherein the distal tip of the instrument is distal to the distal tip of the catheter. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising steering the catheter into position within a patient's body. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the instrument is a needle and the method further comprises delivering fluid into tissue through an inner lumen of the needle and at least one outlet port formed in a distal portion of the needle. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, further comprising heating the fluid delivered into tissue using a heating element positioned within the inner lumen of the needle proximal to the at least one outlet port. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising delivering ablative energy into tissue from an ablation element disposed on the distal portion of the needle. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising activating at least one indicator light upon coupling the advancing mechanism to the instrument. ### Claim 29 A catheter, comprising: an instrument slidably disposed within an inner lumen of the catheter, the instrument being coupled to at least one protrusion; a retraction stop coupled to the catheter; a deployment stop coupled to the catheter and disposed distal to the retraction stop; and an advancing mechanism configured to move the instrument relative to the catheter between a first position, wherein the at least one protrusion contacts the retraction stop, and a second position, wherein the at least one protrusion contacts the deployment stop. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The catheter of claim 29, wherein the deployment stop is a distal end of a groove formed in a sidewall of the catheter that is configured to receive the at least one protrusion. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The catheter of claim 30, further comprising a second deployment stop at a distal end of a second groove formed in the sidewall of the catheter; wherein rotation of the instrument about a longitudinal axis thereof can select which groove receives the at least one protrusion. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The catheter of claim 30, wherein the groove is tortuous and includes a plurality of longitudinally-extending portions connected by at least one transition; and wherein any of proximal and distal translation of the instrument can move the at least one protrusion through one of the plurality of longitudinally-extending portions and rotation of the instrument can move the at least protrusion through the at least one transition. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The catheter of claim 29, wherein the deployment stop is a bulkhead having a through-hole formed therein to receive the at least one protrusion; and wherein the at least one protrusion and the through-hole have complementary shapes to permit passage of the at least one protrusion through the through-hole in a first orientation and prevent passage of the at least one protrusion through the through-hole in a second orientation. ### Claim 34 (depends on 29) The catheter of claim 29, wherein a position of the deployment stop relative to the retraction stop can be adjusted. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The catheter of claim 34, wherein the deployment stop is coupled to an intermediate shaft disposed within the inner lumen of the catheter about the instrument. ### Claim 36 (depends on 29) The catheter of claim 29, wherein the deployment stop is a detent formed in a sidewall of the catheter and the at least one protrusion is biased to extend into the detent when aligned therewith. ### Claim 37 (depends on 29) The catheter of claim 29, further comprising a biasing element coupled to the instrument.