Devices for steering catheters
AssigneeAgile Devices, Inc.
InventorStephen J. Hebert
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system including an outer member, an elongated column member extending distally from the outer member and an inner member positioned coaxial with the outer member and attached to the column member. The inner member extends distally of the outer member and has a distal portion. The catheter is positioned within an outer catheter, such as an aspiration catheter, which provides a reinforcement member over the column member to restrict movement of the column member such that when one of the inner member or outer member is moved with respect to the other, axial compression of the column member is restricted by the inner wall of the outer catheter causing the distal portion of the inner member to deflect laterally to thereby redirect the outer catheter.
Claims20
A system comprising:
- a) a first device having
- i) an outer member having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
- ii) an inner member positioned coaxially within the outer member, the inner member extending distally of the outer member and having a distal portion;
- iii) an elongated column member attached to the inner member and extending external of the inner member;
- and
- b) an outer catheter having a lumen, the first device slidably positioned within the lumen of the outer catheter so that the column member is positioned in the lumen of the outer catheter;
- c) wherein when one of the inner member or outer member is moved with respect to the other, axial compression of the column member is restricted by an inner wall of the outer catheter causing the distal portion of the inner member to deflect laterally to redirect the outer catheter.
A system comprising:
- a) an outer member having a proximal portion and a distal portion;
- b) an inner member positioned coaxially within the outer member, the inner member extending distally of the outer member and having a distal portion and a distalmost edge, the inner member having a distal section softer than a more proximal section;
- and
- c) an elongated column member attached to the inner member and extending external of the inner member adjacent the softer distal section, the column member attached at a first end to the outer member and at a second end to the inner member, the second end of the column positioned proximally of the distalmost edge to leave an extended elongated portion of the inner member extending distally of the column member and the second end terminating adjacent the softer distal section of the inner member;
- d) wherein when one of the inner member or outer member is moved with respect to the other, the distal portion of the inner member deflects laterally.
A method for directing a catheter through the vasculature comprising:
- a) inserting a first device into an outer catheter, the first device having an inner member, an outer member and a column member connected to the inner member;
- b) moving one of the inner member or outer member with respect to the other to effect axial compression of the column member as the column member is bent within a lumen of an outer catheter, an inner wall of the outer catheter restricting movement of the column member so a distal portion of the inner member deflects laterally;
- and
- c) advancing the outer catheter over the deflected distal portion to redirect the outer catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.