Deflectable catheter steering and locking system

1. A method for using a catheter comprising:

deflecting a catheter deflectable distal tip and locking the catheter deflectable distal tip in a desired orientation with only movement of an actuator, the actuator engaged with a carriage, including:

depressing the actuator and the carriage relative to a handle;

moving the actuator, the carriage and a retainer proximally and distally relative to the catheter deflectable distal tip, the actuator is attached to a flexible element anchored in the catheter deflectable distal tip by the retainer movably coupled with the carriage, wherein:

proximal movement of the actuator loads the flexible element in tension and pulls the deflectable distal tip in a first direction, and

distal movement of the actuator loads the flexible element in compression and transmits a pushing force to the deflectable distal tip, and the transmitted pushing force deflects the deflectable distal tip in a second opposed direction; and

releasing the actuator relative to the handle, and the actuator locks the flexible element in the position at release and correspondingly locks the deflectable distal tip in the desired orientation, wherein the retainer and the flexible element are laterally static relative to the handle during depressing and releasing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein depressing the actuator relative to the handle disengages the actuator from a first brake portion in the handle and permits the proximal and distal actuator movement, where the actuator includes a second brake portion sized and shaped to engage with the first brake portion and lock the flexible element in position.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein releasing the actuator relative to the handle engages the second brake portion with the first brake portion and locks the flexible element in the position at release.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein releasing the actuator relative to the handle includes biasing the second brake portion of the actuator into engagement with the first brake portion.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein depressing and releasing of the actuator moves the actuator laterally relative to the direction of proximal and distal actuator movement.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the actuator includes a retainer attached to the flexible element and a carriage movably coupled with the retainer, and:

depressing and releasing of the actuator moves the carriage laterally relative to the retainer, the flexible element and the direction of proximal and distal movement of the actuator, and

proximal and distal movement of the actuator moves the carriage together with the retainer.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising slidably engaging the retainer along a catheter body throughout proximal and distal actuator movement and depressing and releasing of the actuator, wherein the retainer is laterally static relative to the catheter body.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein distal movement of the actuator includes constraining lateral movement of the flexible element with a flexible element guide extending outside of a catheter body, and the flexible element guide is slidably engaged around the flexible element extending from the actuator to the catheter body.

9. A method for using a catheter comprising:

deflecting a catheter deflectable distal tip and locking the catheter deflectable distal tip in a desired orientation with movement of an actuator relative to a handle and a catheter body from a first location to a second location, wherein the actuator is released and in a locked configuration at the first location, the actuator is engaged with a carriage, and deflecting the catheter deflectable distal tip includes:

unlocking the actuator by movement of the actuator and the carriage from the first location;

moving the actuator, the carriage and a retainer from the first location to the second location and correspondingly deflecting the catheter deflectable distal tip into the desired orientation with a flexible element attached between the actuator and the catheter deflectable distal tip, flexible element is attached to the retainer, and the retainer is movably coupled with the carriage, wherein:

proximal movement of the actuator loads the flexible element in tension and pulls the deflectable distal tip in a first direction, and

distal movement of the actuator loads the flexible element in compression and transmits a pushing force to the deflectable distal tip, and the transmitted pushing force deflects the deflectable distal tip in a second opposed direction; and

locking the actuator at the second location by releasing the actuator at the second location, and when locked the deflectable distal tip is held in the desired orientation, wherein locking and unlocking includes holding the retainer and the flexible element laterally static relative to the handle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein unlocking the actuator includes depressing the actuator.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein unlocking the actuator includes disengaging the actuator from a first brake portion in the handle, the actuator including a second brake portion sized and shaped to engage with the first brake portion.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein locking the actuator includes biasing the second brake portion of the actuator into engagement with the first brake portion.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein unlocking the actuator includes overcoming an opposing bias from a biasing member applied to the actuator.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

unlocking and locking of the actuator moves the carriage laterally relative to the retainer, the flexible element and the direction of proximal and distal movement of the actuator, and

proximal and distal movement of the actuator moves the carriage together with the retainer.

15. A catheter comprising:

a catheter body extending from a catheter proximal portion to a catheter deflectable distal tip;

a handle fixed to the catheter proximal portion;

an actuator slidably coupled with the handle, the actuator is engaged with a carriage and the carriage is movably coupled with a retainer, the actuator is coupled to a push/pull wire through attachment of the push/pull wire to the retainer, the push/pull wire is anchored in the deflectable distal tip, the actuator is movable proximally and distally, and the actuator is movable laterally from a locked position to an unlocked position; and

wherein depression of the actuator laterally moves the actuator and the carriage from the locked position to the unlocked position where the actuator is movable proximally and distally, and release of the actuator laterally moves the actuator from the unlocked position to the locked position where the actuator is restrained from proximal and distal movement, wherein the retainer and the push/pull wire are laterally static during depression and release relative to the handle, and

movement of the push/pull wire proximally tensions the push/pull wire and pulls the deflectable distal tip in a first direction, and movement of the push/pull wire distally compresses the push/pull wire and transmits a pushing force to the deflectable distal tip, and the pushing force deflects the deflectable distal tip in a second opposed direction.

16. The catheter of claim 15 , wherein the catheter handle includes a first brake portion, and the actuator includes a second brake portion sized and shaped to engage with the first brake portion and lock the actuator in place against proximal and distal movement.

17. The catheter of claim 16 further comprising a biasing element engaged with the actuator, and the biasing element biases the second brake portion of the actuator into engagement with the first brake portion.

18. The catheter of claim 16 , wherein the first brake portion is engaged along a portion of the catheter body within the handle.

19. The catheter of claim 15 , wherein:

depressing and releasing of the actuator moves the carriage laterally relative to the retainer, the push/pull wire and the direction of proximal and distal movement of the actuator, and

proximal and distal movement of the actuator moves the carriage together with the retainer and the push/pull wire.

20. The catheter of claim 19 , wherein the actuator, including the retainer and the carriage, extends around the catheter body.

21. The catheter of claim 15 further comprising a flexible element guide extending outside of a catheter body, the flexible element guide is slidably engaged around the push/pull wire and extends from the actuator to the catheter body.