CPC A61M 25/0136 (2013.01) [A61M 25/0147 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |
1. A steerable catheter control system for bi-directional control of a steerable catheter, the catheter comprising at least two control wires, a distal end of each of the control wires being coupled to the catheter at a distal region thereof, the control system comprising:
a housing coupled to the catheter, the housing defining an inner housing and a longitudinal axis;
a slide assembly positioned within the inner housing and operable to translate linearly therein along the longitudinal axis;
a proximal portion of the at least two control wires being positioned through the slide assembly;
wherein one of the at least two control wires is indirectly coupled to the slide assembly via a direction reversing element;
a slack limiting element positioned within the inner housing, coupled to at least one of the at least two control wires;
wherein the slack limiting element allows frictional engagement of the one of the at least two control wires to limit slack to a portion of the one of the at least two control wires, wherein the slack limiting element comprises a biased friction device comprising a friction block, a clip coupled to the friction block, wherein the clip is biased towards the friction block, wherein the clip comprises a perpendicular arm extending towards the friction block, the perpendicular arm being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the at least one of the at least two control wires passes through the biased friction device such that the at least one of the at least two control wires is held between the clip and the friction block; and,
a control knob rotatably coupled to the housing for linearly translating the slide assembly with respect to the control knob and the direction reversing element via rotation of the control knob about the longitudinal axis, thereby enabling the slide assembly to manipulate each of the at least two control wires, effecting a change in deflection of said catheter.
|