Patent Application
20210085925
The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a mechanism for deflecting a distal portion of a catheter.
Catheter-deflection technology and improvements thereto, such as ergonomic improvements, remain an ongoing concern in the medical arts.
A catheter that includes a mechanism for deflecting a distal portion of a catheter is disclosed. The catheter may comprise a deflection knob including a first thread, a rod including a second thread that is coupled to the first thread, and a puller wire that is connected to the rod. The rod may comprise a proximal portion upon which the second thread may be disposed and a distal portion to which the puller wire may be connected. As such, the second thread may be disposed on an outer surface of the rod. In various embodiments, the first thread may comprise a female thread and the second thread may comprise a male thread. In alternative embodiments, the first thread may comprise a male thread and the second thread may comprise a female thread.
The distal portion of the rod may include a pocket to which the puller wire may be connected. Specifically, a joining feature may be secured in the pocket and attached to a proximal end of the puller wire. The joining feature may comprise a first ferrule joined, e.g., crimped, to the proximal end of the puller wire. The joining feature may also comprise a second ferrule secured, e.g., bonded, in the pocket and joined, e.g., crimped, to the first ferrule. In preferred embodiments, the first ferrule comprises stainless steel and the second ferrule comprises brass.
The deflection knob preferably includes a longitudinal bore having a surface such that the first thread may be disposed on the surface and such that the proximal portion of the rod may be disposed through the longitudinal bore. The deflection knob and rod may be incorporated as components of a subassembly into a handle of the catheter. The subassembly may additionally include a stationary component, e.g., a collar. A catheter body of the catheter may be connected at a proximal end to the stationary component and connected at a deflectable distal end to a distal end of the puller wire. Additionally, the rod may define therethrough an internal passageway such that additional structures of the catheter (e.g., irrigation tubing, lead wires) may extend through the internal passageway.
The catheter may thus be used according to methods and variations where the distal end of a catheter body of the catheter may be deflected. Such methods may include rotating the deflection knob, translating the rod, and displacing the puller wire. The step of rotating the deflection knob may cause the steps of translating the rod and displacing the puller wire to occur.
While the specification concludes with claims, which particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter described herein, it is believed the subject matter will be better understood from the following description of certain examples taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify the same elements and in which:
The following detailed description should be read with reference to the drawings, in which like elements in different drawings are identically numbered. The drawings, which are not necessarily to scale, depict selected embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The detailed description illustrates by way of example, not by way of limitation, the principles of the invention. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention, including what is presently believed to be the best mode of carrying out the invention.
As used herein, the terms “about” or “approximately” for any numerical values or ranges indicate a suitable dimensional tolerance that allows the part or collection of components to function for its intended purpose as described herein. More specifically, “about” or “approximately” may refer to the range of values±10% of the recited value, e.g. “about 90%” may refer to the range of values from 81% to 99%. In addition, as used herein, the terms “patient,” “host,” “user,” and “subject” refer to any human or animal subject and are not intended to limit the systems or methods to human use, although use of the subject invention in a human patient represents a preferred embodiment.
As shown in
Longitudinal movement of the puller wire 64 relative to the catheter body 12, results in deflection of the distal end of catheter body 12. Such movement may be accomplished by suitable manipulation of the control handle 16, as described in, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. Re 34,502 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,529, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Another mechanism for imparting longitudinal movement to puller wire 64 is described with reference to
Threads may be used to impart linear motion to rod 122 via application of rotational forces to knob 120. Such a mechanism also prevents linear forces applied to rod 122 from causing knob 120 to rotate. As seen in
Rod 122 may be connected to a puller wire 164, best seen in
Because puller wire 164 is connected to rod 122 via joining feature 130, linear motion of rod 122 effected by rotation of knob 120 causes a corresponding linear motion or displacement of puller wire 164. By connecting puller wire 164 to another object, that object may be manipulated by movements of puller wire 164 caused by rotations of knob 120.
A catheter body of a catheter, such as catheter body 12 of catheter 10, may be connected at its proximal end to handle subassembly 100, e.g., directly or indirectly to the stationary component, e.g., collar 124. Preferably, distal end 14 of catheter body 12 has an internal diameter slightly smaller to slightly larger than the outer diameter of collar 124 to permit attachment via, e.g., an interference fit, bonding with an adhesive, or both. Because rod 122 may be advanced or retracted through collar 124, the outer diameter of rod 122 is smaller than the inner diameter of collar 124, indicating that the outer diameter of rod 122 is also smaller than the inner diameter of catheter body 12. As such, puller wire 164 may extend through catheter body 12, from its proximal end 14 to its distal end 16. Puller wire 164 may further be anchored at the distal end 16 of catheter body 12, e.g., via a glue joint. Accordingly, translating puller wire 164 proximally causes distal end 16 of catheter body 12 to deflect, e.g., toward the dotted line shape shown in
Rod 122 additionally defines an internal passageway 144 therethrough. Additional catheter structures that pass through handle subassembly 100 may pass through passageway 144. For example, a lead wires 148 and an irrigation tube 150 may be disposed through passageway 144.
By virtue of the embodiments illustrated and described herein, Applicant has devised a method and variations thereof for using a catheter, such as catheter 10 including subassembly 100, the method including steps of rotating a deflection knob (e.g., knob 120), translating a rod (e.g., rod 122), and displacing a puller wire (e.g., 164). In preferred variations, the step of rotating the deflection knob causes the steps of translating the rod and displacing the puller wire to occur, which causes the distal end of the catheter body to deflect.
Any of the examples or embodiments described herein may include various other features in addition to or in lieu of those described above. The teachings, expressions, embodiments, examples, etc., described herein should not be viewed in isolation relative to each other. Various suitable ways in which the teachings herein may be combined should be clear to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings herein.
Having shown and described exemplary embodiments of the subject matter contained herein, further adaptations of the methods and systems described herein may be accomplished by appropriate modifications without departing from the scope of the claims. In addition, where methods and steps described above indicate certain events occurring in certain order, it is intended that certain steps do not have to be performed in the order described but in any order as long as the steps allow the embodiments to function for their intended purposes. Therefore, to the extent there are variations of the invention, which are within the spirit of the disclosure or equivalent to the inventions found in the claims, it is the intent that this patent will cover those variations as well. Some such modifications should be apparent to those skilled in the art. For instance, the examples, embodiments, geometrics, materials, dimensions, ratios, steps, and the like discussed above are illustrative. Accordingly, the claims should not be limited to the specific details of structure and operation set forth in the written description and drawings.
The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/903,560, filed Sep. 20, 2019. The entire contents of this application is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62903560 | Sep 2019 | US |
