Spring-tensioned articulable catheter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12138409-B2
Application number	US-202318399859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2023
Priority date	Oct 23, 2019
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

A catheter having a head with a head orifice and a head channel connected to the head orifice, a primary lumen wall that defines an internal primary lumen volume, an adjustable neck that connects the head channel to the internal primary lumen volume, an adjustment system partially enclosed in the primary lumen wall that provides an articulation of the adjustable neck between an extended position to a contracted positon, wherein the articulation from the extended position to the contracted position provides a flexible tip catheter while the articulation from the contracted position to the extended position provides an ability to angulate toward a target.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A spring tensioned articulable catheter, comprising:
a head including:
a head orifice, and
a head channel connected to the head orifice;
a primary lumen wall that defines an internal primary lumen volume;
an adjustable neck that connects the head channel to the internal primary lumen volume, the adjustable neck including:
an anterior neck ring affixed to the head,
a posterior neck ring affixed to the primary lumen wall, and
a helical spring tensioner that generates a bias force between the anterior neck ring and the posterior neck ring, wherein the helical spring tensioner has a tensioner elongation length of 1-10 mm and a tensioner diameter of from 1 to 10 mm;
a neck tube extending from the anterior neck ring to the posterior neck ring and having a plurality of circumferential bulges, wherein the helical spring tensioner is a disposed inside the neck tube; and

a secondary lumen including:
an internal portion that is enclosed along the primary lumen wall, and
an external portion that protrudes from the primary lumen wall,

a filament that runs through the internal portion and the external portion, the filament including:
an anterior filament end affixed to the anterior neck ring, and
a posterior filament end that exits from the external portion, and
an adjuster that pulls and releases the posterior filament end to provide a decrease and an increase, respectively, of an inter-neck ring distance between the anterior neck ring and the posterior neck ring,

wherein the increase of the inter-neck ring distance decreases the bias force and provides an angular orientation increase of the catheter while the decrease of the inter-neck ring distance increases the bias force and provides an angular orientation decrease of the catheter, and
wherein the posterior neck ring further includes a secondary lumen stop to block the internal portion and to let the filament freely pass through the posterior neck ring.

2. The spring tensioned articulable catheter of claim 1 , wherein the adjuster includes a hook to pull and release the posterior filament end.

3. The spring tensioned articulable catheter of claim 1 , wherein the adjuster includes
a threaded adjuster sleeve, and
an adjuster screw engaged in the threaded adjuster sleeve, the adjuster screw having
a tip affixed to the posterior filament end, and
an adjuster knob operable to pull and release the posterior filament end.

4. The spring tensioned articulable catheter of claim 1 , wherein the anterior neck ring further includes an anchor to affix the anterior filament end to the anterior neck ring.

5. The spring tensioned articulable catheter of claim 4 , wherein the anchor includes
a filament hole in the anterior neck ring to receive the anterior filament end,
a filament screw, and
a threaded hole in the anterior neck ring that intersects the filament hole to receive the filament screw and affix the anterior filament end to the anterior neck ring.

6. The spring tensioned articulable catheter of claim 1 , wherein the secondary lumen stop includes
a first hole to receive the internal portion and a second hole going through the first hole to let the filament pass therethrough.

7. A body cavity catheter for channeling fluids and/or objects in a body, comprising:
a head including:
a head orifice, and
a head channel connected to the head orifice;
a primary lumen wall that defines an internal primary lumen volume;
an adjustable neck that connects the head channel to the internal primary lumen volume, the adjustable neck including:
an anterior neck ring affixed to the head,
a posterior neck ring affixed to the primary lumen wall, and
a tensioner that generates a bias force between the anterior neck ring and the posterior neck ring,
a neck tube extending from the anterior neck ring to the posterior neck ring and having a plurality of circumferential bulges;
an adjustment system partially enclosed in the primary lumen wall that provides a decrease and an increase, respectively, of an inter neck ring distance between the anterior neck ring and the posterior neck ring,
wherein the decrease of the inter neck ring distance increases the bias force and provides an angular orientation increase of the catheter while the increase of the inter neck ring distance decreases the bias force and provides an angular orientation decrease of the catheter,
wherein the tensioner includes a helical spring extending between the anterior neck ring and the posterior neck ring, wherein a first end of the helical spring rests on the anterior neck ring and a second end of the helical spring rests on the posterior neck ring, and
wherein the tensioner includes an anti-buckling system to prevent the helical spring from buckling and has a tensioner elongation length of 1-10 mm and a tensioner diameter of from 1 to 10 mm.

8. The body cavity catheter of claim 7 , wherein the anti-buckling system includes
a posterior seat that provides support between the posterior neck ring and a posterior spring,
an anterior seat that provides support between the anterior neck ring and an anterior spring, and
one separator that provides support between the posterior spring and the anterior spring.

9. The body cavity catheter of claim 8 , wherein the separator includes
a separator base portion, and
a separator flange portion that protrudes substantially perpendicular from the separator base portion to hold an anterior side of the anterior spring and a posterior side of the posterior spring.

10. The body cavity catheter of claim 8 , wherein the anterior seat includes
an anterior seat base portion, and
an anterior seat flange portion that protrudes substantially perpendicular from the anterior seat base portion to hold an anterior side of the anterior spring.

11. The body cavity catheter of claim 8 , wherein the posterior seat includes
a posterior seat base portion, and
a posterior seat flange portion that protrudes substantially perpendicular from the posterior seat base portion to hold a posterior side of the posterior spring.

12. The body cavity catheter of claim 7 , wherein the tensioner is positioned inside a neck tube of the adjustable neck.

Assignees

• Univ Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal

Inventors

• Al Bisher Hassan Mohammed A

Classifications

• A61M2025/0161

  wherein the distal tips have two or more deflection regions · CPC title

• A61M25/0147 Primary

  with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires · CPC title

• A61M25/0054

  with regions for increasing flexibility · CPC title

• A61M25/0053

  having a variable stiffness along the longitudinal axis, e.g. by varying the pitch of the coil or braid · CPC title

• A61M27/00 Primary

  Drainage appliance for wounds or the like {, i.e. wound drains, implanted drains} ({negative pressure wound therapy devices A61M1/90;} implements for holding wound open A61B17/02 {; middle ear drainage A61F11/202}) · CPC title