Steerable catheter with brake assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12337124-B2
Application number	US-202318295081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2023
Priority date	Sep 27, 2012
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A catheter includes a handle and an elongate member extending from the handle. The catheter may also include steering system coupled to the handle. The steering system may be configured to deflect at least a portion of the elongate member in at least one direction. The catheter may also include a locking mechanism configured to lock the portion of the elongate member in a deflected configuration, and a lever coupled to the handle. The lever may be configured to move from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism. The lever may also be configured to be separably retained at least at one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using a catheter, the method comprising:
positioning the catheter in a body of a patient so that a handle of the catheter is located outside of the body while a distal portion of a tubular member of the catheter is located within the body;
activating a steering mechanism of the handle to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction; and
engaging a locking mechanism of the catheter to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spring located between a cam and a rack gear, wherein the engaging of the locking mechanism comprises:
unlocking a lever coupled to the handle; and
moving the lever from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism, wherein the lever is configured to be separably retained by a feature of the handle in at least one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween, wherein moving the lever comprises rotating the cam to push the rack gear into engagement with a pinion gear fixedly coupled to a spool of the catheter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the spring biases the lever toward the handle.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising biasing the rack gear in a direction away from the pinion gear.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the rack gear and the pinion gear comprises a plurality of teeth.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises a first spool and a second spool, wherein the first spool controls deflection of the portion of the tubular member in a first direction, wherein the second spool controls deflection of the portion of the tubular member in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein the rack gear prevents rotation of both the first spool and the second spool when the locking mechanism is engaged.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the steering mechanism comprises rotating at least one spool to deflect the portion of the tubular member.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feature of the handle is an opening in the handle, and wherein the lever is separably retained by the handle by accommodating a portion of the lever in the opening.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lever is movable in a direction away from the handle, and wherein the lever is pivotable relative to the handle to move from the first position to the second position.

9. A method of using a catheter, the method comprising:
positioning the catheter in a body of a patient so that a handle of the catheter is located outside of the body while a distal portion of a tubular member of the catheter is located within the body;
activating a steering mechanism of the handle to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction; and
engaging a locking mechanism of the catheter to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration, wherein the engaging comprises:
unlocking a lever coupled to the handle;
moving the lever from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism by rotating a cam to push a rack gear into engagement with a pinion gear fixedly coupled to a spool of the catheter,
wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spring located between the cam and the rack gear; and

biasing the rack gear in a direction away from the pinion gear.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the spring biases the lever toward the handle.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the rack gear and the pinion gear comprises a plurality of teeth.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein activating the steering mechanism comprises rotating at least one spool of the steering mechanism to deflect the portion of the tubular member.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the steering mechanism comprises a first spool and a second spool, wherein the first spool controls deflection of the portion of the tubular member in a first direction, wherein the second spool controls deflection of the portion of the tubular member in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, and wherein the rack gear prevents rotation of both the first spool and the second spool when the locking mechanism is engaged.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the lever is configured to be separably retained by a feature of the handle in at least one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the feature of the handle is an opening in the handle, and wherein the lever is separably retained by the handle by accommodating a portion of the lever in the opening.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the lever is movable in a direction away from the handle, and wherein the lever is pivotable relative to the handle to move from the first position to the second position.

17. A method of using a catheter, the method comprising:
positioning the catheter in a body of a patient so that a handle of the catheter is located outside of the body while a distal portion of a tubular member of the catheter is located within the body;
activating a steering mechanism to deflect at least a portion of the tubular member in at least one direction; and
engaging a locking mechanism of the catheter to lock the portion of the tubular member in a deflected configuration, wherein the engaging comprises:
unlocking a lever coupled to the handle; and
moving the lever from a first position to a second position to engage the locking mechanism,
wherein the lever is configured to be separably retained by a feature of the handle in at least one of the first position or the second position to prevent movement therebetween,
wherein the locking mechanism comprises a rack, at least one pinion, and a rotatable cam,
wherein the rack mates with the at least one pinion when the locking mechanism is engaged by the lever,
wherein, when the lever moves from the first position to the second position, the cam rotates and pushes the rack towards the at least one pinion, and
wherein the locking mechanism comprises a spring located between the cam and the rack.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein movement of the lever from the first position to the second position causes the rack to mate with the at least one pinion.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Scimed Inc

Inventors

• Campbell Andrew
• Barner Paul

Classifications

• A61M25/0133

  Tip steering devices · CPC title

• A61B1/0052

  Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles · CPC title

• A61B1/0051

  with controlled bending of insertion part · CPC title

• A61M25/0105

  Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning (systems for detection of markers A61B) · CPC title

• A61B1/0057

  Constructional details of force transmission elements, e.g. control wires · CPC title