Preformed steerable catheter with movable outer sleeve and method for use

摘要

A wire housed within a sheath is formed of a shape-retentive and resilient material having a curved shape at its distal-end region resulting in the catheter sheath having the curved shape. The catheter sheath also has an axially oriented tendon for causing deflection of the distal-end region. A movable outer sleeve surrounds the sheath and conforms the portion of the wire positioned within the outer sleeve to the shape of the outer sleeve. Upon relative displacement of the sheath and the outer sleeve a portion of the sheath extends beyond the outer sleeve and resumes its preformed curved distal shape thereby forcing the catheter distal-end region into the same curved shape. The operator may adjust the relative positions of the sheath and outer sleeve to changes the shape of the distal-end region. The operator may also axially move the tendon to adjust the radius or curvature of the distal-end region.