Assemblies for creating compound curves in distal catheter regions
View Patent ↗Compound steering assemblies, usable in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications, enable a physician to swiftly and accurately steer the distal section of the catheter in multiple planes or complex curves to position and maintain ablation and/or mapping electrodes in intimate contact with an interior body surface.
1. A catheter, comprising:
an elongate body including a distal portion, a distal end, a proximal portion, a proximal end, a curved portion having a predefined curvature and configured to substantially straighten in response to the application of a force and to return to the predefined curvature in response to removal of the force, and a control device aperture substantially adjacent to the curved portion;
a control device defining a distal portion secured to the distal portion of the elongate body and extending outwardly therefrom, into the control device aperture and proximally to the proximal end of the elongate body;
the elongate body distal portion and the control device together defining a loop structure; and
at least one operative device supported on the distal portion of the elongate body.
2. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the proximal portion defines a longitudinal axis, the loop structure defines a loop plane, and the loop plane is arranged at a non-zero angle to the longitudinal axis of the proximal portion.
3. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device aperture is proximal to the curved portion.
4. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate body proximal portion comprises a catheter body.
5. A catheter as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the control device aperture is formed in the distal end of the catheter body and the elongate body distal portion extends distally from the control device aperture.
6. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate body distal portion comprises a spline.
7. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate body distal portion comprises braid tubing.
8. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the elongate body distal portion includes the curved portion.
9. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the curved portion defines an approximately ninety degree curvature.
10. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a first control device, the catheter further comprising:
a second control device adapted to manipulate the loop structure.
11. A catheter as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the second control device comprises a stylet.
12. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the loop structure defines a diameter and the control device is retractable and advancable to adjust the loop structure diameter.
13. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a spline.
14. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the control device is associated with the distal end of the elongate body.
15. A catheter as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one operative element comprises a plurality of electrodes.
16. A catheter, comprising:
an elongate body defining a longitudinal axis and a distal region;
a loop associated with the distal region of the elongate body and defining a loop plane arranged at a non-zero angle to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body;
at least one operative element supported on the loop; and
a stylet, which is not used to form the loop, adapted to manipulate the loop.
17. A catheter as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the loop is fixedly secured to the elongate body.
18. A catheter as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the non-zero angle is substantially equal to 90 degrees.
19. A catheter as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the elongate body includes a pre-set curved portion defining a curvature substantially equal to the non-zero angle.
20. A catheter as claimed in claim 19 , wherein the non-zero angle is substantially equal to 90 degrees.
21. A catheter as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the at least one operative element comprises a plurality of electrodes.