CATHETER STEERING APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

A catheter steering assembly (1) is provided for attachment to a catheter (7) so as to enable the catheter to be steered within an applied magnetic field. The catheter steering assembly (1) comprises a magnetic element (3) formed from a material having a controllable magnetisation direction and at least one control element (4a, 4b, 4c) arranged to interact with the magnet element (3) so as to control the magnetisation direction of the magnetic element (3). The material of the magnetic element is arranged such that the magnetisation direction is maintained for a period after the interaction, whereby the catheter steering assembly (1) may be steered by the interaction between the magnetic field of the magnetic element (3) and the applied magnetic field.