Universal programmable guide catheter
AssigneeSciMed Life Systems, Inc.
InventorLucien Alfred Couvillon, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A guide catheter apparatus that comprises the following: (a) a guide catheter portion that includes a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along its axial length and (b) a control unit coupled to the actuators and sending control signals to the actuators. The actuators change the shape of the guide catheter portion based upon the control signals that are received from the control unit. In another aspect of the present invention, a method of introducing a guide catheter into a body lumen is provided. The method comprises: (a) providing a guide catheter apparatus like that above, and (b) inserting the guide catheter portion of the guide catheter apparatus into the body lumen, while using the control unit to control the shape of the guide catheter portion.
Claims45
A guide catheter apparatus comprising:
- (a) a guide catheter portion comprising a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along the axial length of the guide catheter portion, said electroactive polymer actuators changing the shape of the guide catheter portion based upon received control signals, each of said electroactive polymer actuators comprising an active member which is separated from a counter-electrode by an electrolyte region, wherein said active members of said plurality of electroactive polymer actuators are attached to one or more substrate layer in the shape of a tube;
- and
- (b) a control unit coupled to said plurality of actuatos and sending control signals to said plurality of actuators.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.