Multiform twistable tip deflectable catheter

A tip-deflectable, steerable catheter comprising:

• a catheter handle having a first body and a second body, said second body being slidably mounted to and for selective longitudinal sliding movement relative to said first body;
• an elongated catheter tube having longitudinally spaced apart proximal and distal ends, said proximal end of said catheter tube being fixedly attached to said second body of said catheter handle;
• a catheter tip portion carried at said distal end of said catheter tube and having a distal end most remote from said handle;
• and
• an elongated, substantially flat planar shim having longitudinally spaced apart proximal and distal ends disposed within said catheter tip portion, said shim having a lateral twist between said proximal and distal ends of said shim, said shim distal end being attached to said distal end of said catheter tip portion and to said catheter handle first body, and said shim proximal end being attached to said second body of said catheter handle so that longitudinal movement of said catheter tube distal end as said second body is selectively moved longitudinally toward said catheter tip portion relative to said handle first body causes said proximal end of said shim to move correspondingly longitudinally and said attachment of said shim to said catheter handle body causes three-dimensional tip-deflecting curvature of said catheter tip portion in accordance with said selective longitudinal movement of said second body relative to said first body.