Position-adjustable thoracic catheter

A thoracic catheter consisting essentially of (a) an elongate flexible tube for the passage of fluid into or out of the thoracic cavity of a patient, the tube having a wall, a distal end and an elongate portion for insertion into the thoracic cavity of the patient, and a proximal end that remains outside the patient, (b) control means connected to the tube for changing the curvature of at least 60% of the elongate portion of the tube that is designed to be inserted into the thoracic cavity of the patient to facilitate positioning of the distal end and the elongate portion of the tube in the thoracic cavity of the patient, (c) means defining an elongated passageway and at least one control wire having a distal end and a proximal end and extending along at least part of the length of the tube inside the means defining an elongated passageway the distal end of the at least one wire being closer to the distal end of the catheter and the proximal end of the at least one wire being closer to the proximal end of the tube, wherein the distal end of the at least one control wire is attached to the tube so that when the proximal end of the at least one wire is pulled towards the proximal end of the tube, the distal end of the tube is pulled towards the proximal end of the tube, thereby changing the curvature of at least 60% of the elongate portion of the tube that is designed to be inserted into the thoracic cavity of the patient, and (d) means for temporarily maintaining the curvature of the tube.