Steerable catheter
May 19, 2007. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 3552384 3773034 3890977 Tubular medical instrument having a flexible sheath with cuffs Apparatus for endoscopic examination Device and method for advancing an endoscope through a body passage Endoscope deflection control Bend angle control for endoscope Mechanism for direction changing of endoscope top end Curvature control mechanism in endoscopes InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 07/052263 filed on 05/19/1987US Classes:604/95.03Having flexible member (e.g., bellow, balloon, etc.) to propel conduitExaminersPrimary: Ostrager, Allen M.International ClassesA61M 25/01 (20060101)A61B 1/005 (20060101) AbstractSteerable catheters are achieved using a filament which changes its configuration in response to a changed environmental condition (e.g. temperature) and a controller to change that environmental condition as desired. Alternatively, inflatable members can be used to steer the catheter by deflecting its tip. Catheter propulsion is achieved using an inflatable member which creates a wave-action as it is inflated. Finally, multiple tendons, connected in mirror image positions at the catheter handle and tip, respectively, reflect manipulation of the handle in the tip, to facilitate steering the tip. | |
