Steerable catheter tip
AssigneeBaxter Travenol Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsPatrick M. Maloney, Matthew Hoskins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A catheter sized and adapted to be passed through a tortuous path into a desired location in a human medical patient's body is disclosed. This catheter includes a deflection system, such as a bellows located at or near the distal end of the catheter. The distal end portion of the catheter can be controllably deflected, relative to the remainder of the catheter, by activating, e.g., pressurizing, the deflection system. This controlled deflection allows one to easily maneuver the catheter through the tortuous path.
Claims25
A catheter comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having a body portion, a distal end portion, a central longitudinal axis and at least one lumen extending through a substantial portion of said catheter body;
- and
- deflection means including a bellows located at or near said distal end portion off center with respect to said central longitudinal axis and being capable of being pressurized from a fluid pressure source without passing fluid out of said distal end portion to controllably deflect said distal end portion relative to said body portion.
A catheter comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having a body portion, a distal end portion, a central longitudinal axis and at least one lumen extending through a substantial portion of said catheter body;
- and
- deflection means including bellows located around a portion of the periphery of said distal end portion in fluid communication with said lumen off center with respect to said central longitudinal axis and being capable of being pressurized for a fluid pressure relative to said body portion.
A method for inserting a catheter through a tortuous path to a desired location in a patient's body comprising:
- passing a catheter through a tortuous path in a patient's body, said catheter comprising an elongated catheter body having a distal end portion, a body portion, a central longitudinal axis, at least one lumen extending through a substantial portion of said catheter body, and deflection means including a bellows located at or near said distal end portion off center with respect to said central longitudinal axis and being capable of being activated to controllably deflect said distal end portion relative to said catheter body;
- and
- activating, without passing fluid out of said distal end portion, said deflection means during said passing to facilitate placing said catheter in a desired located in said patient's body.
A method for visualizing space at or near the distal end of a catheter comprising:
- inserting a catheter to a desired location in a patient's body, said catheter comprising an elongated catheter body having a distal end portion, a body portion, a central longitudinal axis, at least one lumen extending through a substantial portion of said catheter body;
- visualization means acting to provide a visualization of space at or near said distal end portion, and deflection means including a bellows located at or near said distal end portion off center with respect to said central longitudinal axis and being capable of being activated to controllably deflect said distal end portion relative to said catheter body;
- causing said visualization means to provide one or more visualizations of space at or near said distal end portion;
- activating, without passing fluid out of said distal end portion, said deflection means to reorient said visualization means;
- and
- repeating said causing step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.