CATHETER HAVING AN ACTIVE RETURN-TO-STRAIGHT MECHANISM

摘要

Actuators for steerable medical devices are disclosed that not only deflect or steer a portion of a medical device (e.g., a distal portion of a catheter shaft), but also include mechanisms for actively returning the deflected portion of the medical device to an initial configuration (e.g., straight or substantially straight). These active return-to-straight mechanisms may return a catheter shaft from a deflected configuration to a substantially straight configuration throughout a medical procedure, may employ one or more tension members extending along the catheter shaft, and may comprise a gross return actuator and a fine return actuator. For example, the gross return actuator may be configured to partially reverse the deflection of the distal portion of the catheter; and the fine return actuator may be configured to continue reversing the deflection. The gross return actuator may automatically trigger or actuate (mechanically or electromechanically) the fine return actuator.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a deflection actuator configured to cause deflection of a distal portion of a catheter from an initial position; a first return actuator configured to partially reverse the deflection of the distal portion of the catheter; and a second return actuator configured to continue reversing the deflection of the distal portion of the catheter towards the initial position.