ACTUATING ELEMENTS FOR BENDING MEDICAL DEVICES

1 . A medical device, comprising:

an elongated tube having a wall and an opening at the wall;

a first structural member associated with the opening at the wall of the elongated tube;

a second structural member;

a bridging element located between the first structural member and the second structural member; and

a first actuating element coupled to the bridging element, the first actuating element actuatable to induce stress and/or displacement at the first structural member to cause the elongated tube to bend.

2 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tube comprises a lumen, and wherein a portion of the first structural member is in the lumen of the elongated tube.

3 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tube comprises a lumen, and wherein at least a part of the first actuating element is in the lumen of the elongated tube.

4 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first structural member is at a first radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the elongated tube, wherein a center of the first actuating element is at a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the elongated tube, and wherein the first radial distance is larger than the second radial distance.

5 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first actuating element is configured to apply a force to the first structural member in a direction that is non-parallel to a longitudinal axis of the elongated tube.

6 . The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to allow a user to provide an input for provisioning a control signal, the control signal being an electrical signal or a radiofrequency signal, wherein the first actuating element is actuatable in response to the control signal, wherein the user interface is at a handle or at an electronic device communicatively coupled with a part of the medical device.

7 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to induce the stress and/or the displacement at the first structural member in response to electrical energy, radiofrequency energy, heat, pressure, or fluid.

8 . The medical device of claim 1 , further comprises a second actuating element, wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a first amount, and wherein the first actuating element and the second actuating element are actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a second amount that is different from the first amount.

9 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a first amount, and also actuable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a second amount that is different from the first amount.

10 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the elongated tube is a part of a catheter, a guidewire, or an implant.

11 . A medical device, comprising:

an elongated tube having a wall and an opening at the wall;

a first structural member associated with the opening at the wall of the elongated tube; and

a first actuating element actuatable to induce stress and/or displacement at the first structural member to cause the elongated tube to bend;

wherein the first structural member is at a first radial distance from a longitudinal axis of the elongated tube, wherein a center of the first actuating element is at a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the elongated tube, and wherein the first radial distance is larger than the second radial distance.

12 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the elongated tube comprises a lumen, and wherein a portion of the first structural member is in the lumen of the elongated tube.

13 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the elongated tube comprises a lumen, and wherein at least a part of the first actuating element is in the lumen of the elongated tube.

14 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the first actuating element is configured to apply a force to the first structural member in a direction that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated tube.

15 . The medical device of claim 11 , further comprising a user interface configured to allow a user to provide an input for provisioning a control signal, the control signal being an electrical signal or a radiofrequency signal, wherein the first actuating element is actuatable in response to the control signal, wherein the user interface is at a handle, or at an electronic device communicatively coupled with a part of the medical device.

16 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to induce the stress and/or the displacement at the first structural member in response to electrical energy, radiofrequency energy, heat, pressure, or fluid.

17 . The medical device of claim 11 , further comprises a second actuating element, wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a first amount, and wherein the first actuating element and the second actuating element are actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a second amount that is different from the first amount.

18 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the first actuating element is actuatable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a first amount, and also actuable to cause the elongated tube to bend by a second amount that is different from the first amount.

19 . The medical device of claim 11 , wherein the elongated tube is a part of a catheter, a guidewire, or an implant.

20 . A medical device, comprising:

an elongated tube having a wall and an opening at the wall;

a first structural member associated with the opening at the wall of the elongated tube; and

a first actuating element actuatable to induce stress and/or displacement at the first structural member to cause the elongated tube to bend;

wherein the elongated tube comprises a lumen, and wherein at least a part of the first actuating element is in the lumen of the elongated tube.