Steerable member and system and methods of making and using same
A steerable device and system allowing a steerable elongate member positioned within another steerable tubular elongate member to be steered independently of the steerable tubular elongate member. The steerable tubular elongate member may be steered in a first plane, bending the steerable elongate member therein in the first plane as well. A steering mechanism operatively associated with the steerable elongate member has a distal portion operatively associated with a steerable region of the steerable elongate member to steer such steerable region within a second plane transverse to the first plane. The steering mechanism is independently movable with respect to a portion of the steerable elongate member proximal to the steerable region so as not to affect the orientation of the steerable region to be steered into a second plane transverse to the first plane.
1 . A steerable system for accessing an anatomical site within a patient's body, said steerable system comprising:
an elongate member having a steerable region along a portion thereof;
wherein the elongate member includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and a reinforcing layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer;
a steering mechanism having a distal portion operatively associated with said steerable region to effect movement of said steerable region, and a proximal portion axially and radially movable with respect to said steerable region;
wherein the distal portion of the steering mechanism is interwoven with the reinforcing layer; and
wherein the proximal portion of the steering mechanism is disposed radially inward of the reinforcing layer.
2 . The steerable system of claim 1 , wherein said distal portion of said steering mechanism is embedded within a distal portion of said elongate member.
3 . The steerable system of claim 2 , wherein:
said steering mechanism comprises a two-part pull mechanism with an inner pull wire axially movable within an outer sheath;
a portion of said outer sheath is fixed with respect to said steerable region of said elongate member; and
a distal end of said pull wire is coupled to said outer sheath such that axial movement of said pull wire steers said outer sheath.
4 . The steerable system of claim 1 , wherein:
said elongate member has a tubular wall defining a lumen therein;
said distal portion of said steering mechanism is operatively associated with said tubular wall of said flexible elongate member along said steerable region to steer said steerable region; and
said proximal portion of said steering mechanism extends within the lumen defined by said tubular wall of said elongate member and is movable radially-independently of said steerable region.
5 . The steerable system of claim 1 , wherein:
said steering mechanism comprises a two-part pull mechanism with an inner pull wire axially movable within an outer sheath;
a portion of said outer sheath is operatively associated with filaments of said reinforcing layer along said steerable region; and
a distal end of said pull wire is coupled to said outer sheath such that axial movement of said pull wire steers said steerable region.
6 . The steerable system of claim 5 , wherein said portion of said outer sheath operatively associated with said filaments along said steerable region is fixed with respect to said steerable region.
7 . The steerable system of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of said steering mechanism is fixed with respect to said steerable region.
8 . A steerable system comprising:
at least one steerable tubular member;
an inner steerable member extending through and along said at least one steerable tubular member and having a steerable portion along a distal end thereof;
wherein the inner steerable member includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and a reinforcing layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer;
a steering mechanism having a distal portion operatively associated with said steerable region of said inner steerable member to effect movement of said steerable region, and a proximal portion radially movable with respect to said steerable region;
wherein the steering mechanism includes a distal portion interwoven with the reinforcing member, a medial portion that dives in through the reinforcing layer, and a proximal portion extending along an inner surface of the reinforcing layer; and
wherein said at least one steerable tubular member is steered within a first plane and said steering mechanism is operatively associated with said inner steerable member to steer said inner steerable member in a second plane transverse to the first plane.
9 . The steerable system of claim 8 , wherein:
said at least one steerable tubular member includes a two-way steerable delivery catheter; and
said inner steerable member is axially extendable out of a distal end of said two-way steerable delivery catheter and steered by said steering mechanism within the second plane.
10 . The steerable system of claim 8 , wherein:
said inner steerable member has a tubular wall defining a lumen therein;
said distal portion of said steering mechanism is operatively associated with said tubular wall of said inner steerable member along said steerable region to steer said steerable region; and
said proximal portion of said steering mechanism extends within the lumen defined by said tubular wall of said inner steerable member and is movable radially-independently of said steerable region.
11 . The steerable system of claim 8 , wherein:
said steering mechanism comprises a two-part pull mechanism with an inner pull wire axially movable within an outer sheath;
a portion of said outer sheath is operatively associated with filaments of said reinforcing layer along said steerable region; and
a distal end of said pull wire is fixed to said outer sheath such that axial movement of said pull wire steers said steerable region.
12 . The steerable system of claim 11 , wherein said portion of said outer sheath operatively associated with said filaments along said steerable region is fixed with respect to said steerable region.
13 . The steerable system of claim 8 , wherein a distal end of said steering mechanism is fixed with respect to said steerable region.
14 . A method of navigating a steerable delivery/deployment system with respect to a steerable delivery catheter, said method comprising:
bending the steerable tubular delivery catheter and thus the steerable delivery/deployment system within a first plane to deliver the steerable delivery/deployment system to an area of an anatomical site; and
operating a steering mechanism to steer a steerable region of the steerable delivery/deployment system within a second plane transverse to the first plane, the steering mechanism having a distal portion fixed with respect to the steerable region to steer the steerable region, and a proximal portion radially movable with respect to the steerable region to conform to the bend of the steerable delivery catheter in the first plane;
wherein the steerable tubular delivery catheter includes an inner layer, an outer layer, and a reinforcing layer disposed between the inner layer and the outer layer; and
wherein the steering mechanism includes a distal portion interwoven with the reinforcing member, a medial portion that dives in through the reinforcing layer, and a proximal portion extending along an inner surface of the reinforcing layer.
15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising allowing the proximal portion of the steering mechanism to conform to the bend of the steerable delivery catheter without torquing the steerable region of the steerable delivery/deployment system out of position to be bent in the second plane by the steering mechanism.