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US 8,465,442 B2Granted
Handle for steerable catheter
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorDavid Freed
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handle for controlling a steerable catheter can be aligned so that the direction of movement of the catheter is aligned with the orientation of an image on a monitor. In one embodiment, the handle is axially symmetric, allowing a physician to grasp it such that the movement of the catheter is aligned with an image displayed. In another embodiment, the handle is a grip that is rotatable with respect to the controls of a steerable catheter in order to align the movement with the image displayed.
Claims19
A steerable catheter, including:
- a catheter shaft having a proximal and a distal end and one or more lumens therein, the shaft further having a longitudinal axis;
- a handle having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end functionally connected to the proximal end of the catheter shaft;
- a single steering lever configured to deflect the distal end of the catheter in an up direction, a down direction, a right direction, and a left direction, the single steering lever extending longitudinally from the proximal end of the handle and movably associated with the handle, the steering lever being arranged so that the orientation of the steering lever is independent of the orientation of the handle as the handle is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the handle;
- and
- two or more pull wires having distal ends secured at or adjacent the distal end of the catheter shaft and proximal ends secured to the steering lever, wherein movement of the steering lever causes the two or more pull wires to be selectively tensioned or released in order to deflect the distal end of the catheter shaft in a number of directions;
- wherein the handle is rotatable with respect to both the single steering lever and the catheter shaft;
- and
- wherein a longitudinal axis of the single steering lever, in a neutral position, is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the handle.
5 more elements
A steerable device, comprising:
- an axially symmetrical handle having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a shaft having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, a distal end, and one or more lumens therein, the shaft having at least one deflection position and a neutral position;
- a first pull wire having a distal end secured at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft and a proximal end;
- and
- a single steerable mechanism associated with the handle and connected to the proximal end of the pull wire, the steering mechanism being a lever arm that extends longitudinally and outwardly from the proximal end of the handle, wherein the lever arm has at least one actuated position that selectively tensions and/or releases the pull wire in order to deflect the distal end of the shaft to the at least one deflection position, and a neutral position that returns the distal end of the shaft to the shaft neutral position;
- wherein the orientation of the lever arm in its neutral position is independent of the orientation of the handle and the handle is rotated about its longitudinal axis;
- wherein the handle is rotatable with respect to both the lever arm and the shaft;
- and
- wherein a longitudinal axis of the lever arm, in its neutral position, is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the handle.
6 more elements
A steerable device, comprising:
- a handle having a proximal end, a distal end, and a graspable section disposed between the proximal and distal ends;
- a shaft having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the handle, a deflectable distal end, and one or more lumens disposed therein;
- first, second, third, and fourth pull wires each having a distal end secured at or adjacent the distal end of the shaft and a proximal end, wherein movement of the first, the second, the third, and/or the fourth pull wire with respect to the shaft causes the distal end to deflect in an up direction, a down direction, a right direction, and/or a left direction, respectively;
- and
- a single steering lever movable with two degrees of freedom, the single steering lever extending longitudinally and outwardly from the proximal end of the handle and operatively connected to the proximal ends of the first, second, third, and fourth pull wires, wherein movement of the single steering lever with respect to the handle selectively tensions and/or releases the first, second, third, and/or fourth pull wires in order to deflect the distal end of the shaft,
- wherein a longitudinal axis of the single steering lever, in a neutral position, is parallel with a longitudinal axis of the handle;
- wherein the handle comprises a grip that is rotatable with respect to the single steering lever along the longitudinal axis of the handle;
- and
- wherein the single steering lever extends from a proximal-most end of the rotatable grip.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.