Catheter deflection control

A deflection system for precisely controlling the shape of a distal catheter section, including a flexible distal working catheter area, of a tubular vascular catheter comprising:

• (a) a distal catheter section having an outer wall, a distal end, and a proximal end and including a distal working tip area, the shape of which is sought to be controlled;
• (b) a plurality of serially spaced, relatively weaker or more flexible wall areas for producing greater flexibility in a preferred direction in the outer wall of the distal catheter section proximally spaced from the distal end of the distal section, each weaker or more flexible wall area producing a tendency for the catheter to bend preferentially in the direction of and in the vicinity of the weaker wall segment;
• and
• (c) flexure control means including a plurality of reciprocally operable means for applying an adjustable tension or pulling force to the distal catheter section and wherein each said reciprocally operable means is attached to the catheter wall at a location distal a different one of said weaker or more flexible wall areas in a manner that produces curvature of the catheter at the one or more weaker wall areas in the desired direction of and in the vicinity of the weaker wall areas.

A method of controlling the shape of a distal catheter section comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a distal catheter section having one or more weakened wall segments proximally spaced from the distal end thereof, one of more reciprocating tension control members including reciprocally operating means for applying a longitudinal force to the distal section of the catheter, said tension control members being secured distal of the weakened wall segments and slidably adjustable deflection shape control means reciprocally slidably disposed in said distal catheter section;
• (b) slidably adjusting said deflection control means as desired along the distal catheter section;
• and
• (c) using said reciprocally operating means to operate said tension control members to cause deflection of said distal catheter section at locations in accordance with the location of said slidably adjustable deflection shape control means and said tension control members.

A deflection system for controlling the shape of a distal catheter section, including a working distal catheter area, of a tubular catheter comprising:

• (a) a distal catheter section of a desired flexibility, having an outer wall, a distal end, and a proximal end and including a working distal area, the shape of which is sought to be controlled;
• (b) flexure control means including reciprocally operable means for applying an adjustable tension or pulling force to the distal catheter section at one or more attachment locations in the outer wall segments in a manner that produces curvature of the distal catheter section proximal a corresponding attachment location in the direction of the force;
• (c) adjustable deflection shape control means disposed in said distal catheter section and reciprocally slidable therein to cooperate with the distal catheter section and said flexure control means to modulate the shape assumed by the distal catheter section;
• and
• (d) wherein the adjustable deflection shape control means comprises a flexible elongated hollow member.

A controlled deflection system for precisely controlling the shape of a distal catheter section, including a distal working catheter area, of a tubular vascular catheter comprising:

• (a) a distal catheter section having an outer wall, a distal end, and a proximal end and including a distal working area, the shape of which is sought to be controlled;
• (b) one or more serially spaced, relatively weaker or more flexible wall areas for inducing greater flexibility in a preferred direction in such outer wall of the distal catheter section proximally spaced from the distal end thereof, each weaker wall area producing a preferential tendency for the catheter to bend in the direction and in the location of the weaker wall area;
• (c) flexure control means including reciprocally operable means for applying an adjustable longitudinal force to the distal catheter section from distal of the weaker wall areas in a manner that produces curvature of the catheter at the locations of the one or more weaker areas in the preferred direction;
• and
• (d) adjustable deflection shape control means disposed in said distal catheter section and reciprocally slidable therein to cooperate with said one or more weaker wall areas and said flexure control means to modulate the shape assumed by the distal catheter section.

A deflection system for controlling the shape of a distal catheter section, including a working distal catheter area, of a tubular catheter comprising:

• (a) a distal catheter section of a desired flexibility, having an outer wall, a distal end, and a proximal end and including a working distal area, the shape of which is sought to be controlled;
• (b) flexure control means including reciprocally operable means for applying an adjustable tension or pulling force to the distal catheter section at one or more attachment locations in the outer wall segments in a manner that produces curvature of the distal catheter section proximal a corresponding attachment location in the direction of the force;
• (c) adjustable deflection shape control means disposed in said distal catheter section and reciprocally slidable therein to cooperate with the distal catheter section and said flexure control means to modulate the shape assumed by the distal catheter section;
• and
• (d) wherein the adjustable deflection shape control means comprises an elongated flexible solid member having one or more spaced segments of greater flexibility.

A precisely controlled distal catheter section for a vascular catheter comprising:

• (a) an hollow elongated tubular distal working catheter section having a distal end and a proximal end, an outer wall and describing at least a main internal lumen;
• (b) one or more serially spaced, relatively weaker or more flexible wall areas in said outer wall of the distal catheter section proximately spaced from the distal end thereof;
• (c) tension control means for applying longitudinal force to the distal section of the catheter from distal of the one or more weakened areas in a manner that encourages bending thereof in the direction of the weakened areas;
• (d) deflection shape control means disposed in said distal catheter section and reciprocally slidable therein to modulate cooperation between said one or more weakened wall areas and said tension control means to modulate the shape assumed by the distal catheter section;
• and
• (e) handle means having at least one hand operable reciprocally adjustable knob means connected to reciprocally adjust each tension control means and adjustable knob means connected to reciprocally adjust the shape control means of the catheter to modulate the locations and amounts of deflection of the catheter.

A shape control system for controlling the flexure shape of the distal section of a flexible tubular vascular catheter comprising:

• (a) a flexible main tubular catheter having a distal end and a proximal end, a distal working section, the deployed shape of which is sought to be controlled, and describing a continuous internal primary lumen;
• (b) one or more bending areas of directionally preferred greater flexibility proximally spaced from the distal end of the distal section of the main catheter;
• (c) flexure control means including one or more tension members for applying longitudinal force to the distal section of the catheter from distal of one or more bending areas of the deflection segment in a manner that produces bending of the deflection segment in the preferred direction of each bending area;
• (d) a flexible deflection shape control member selected from hollow tubes and solid rods comprising an inner tubular deflection guide member disposed in the primary lumen of the catheter and configured to be reciprocally slidable therein, the deflection shape control member itself being provided with one or more sections of greater flexibility, in the form of areas that encourage the catheter to bend at locations where the more flexible segments of the shape control member align with the bending areas of the catheter;
• (e) deflection guide control means for the reciprocal adjustment of the deflection shape control member;
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• (f) wherein relative alignment of the one or more weakened sections of the deflection shape control member by slidable adjustment of the deflection shape control member may be used to modify the bending of the main catheter.