A steerable catheter (10) comprises portions (100, 105) of different stiffness, having a proximal end (11), a distal end, a lumen extending there between, at least one magnet (20) at the proximal end (11), at least a magnetic field to influence the proximal end (11), wherein portions (100, 105) of the steerable catheter (10) can be of different stiffness. The portions (100, 105) of different stiffness are in fact portions of variable stiffness based on a phase change between a liquid phase and a solid phase of a liquid-solid material in a at least partly double walled catheter providing a cavity for this liquid-solid material and having additional control elements configured to influence the phase of the liquid-solid material.

A catheter includes an electromechanical polymer (EMP) actuator disposed in a steerable tip at the distal end of the catheter. When activated, the EMP actuator deflects the steerable tip through an angle between 0 and 270 degrees, thus permitting the operator to steer the steerable tip through the vasculature. The steerable tip also has at least a first relatively stiff region and a second relatively flexible region, and the EMP actuator is provided next to the first relatively stiff region so that the steerable tip may toward the flexible region when activated. In one implementation, an external interface allows a user to select by name one of many sets of control signals, with each set of control signals being signals calibrated for configuring the catheter to mimic a known catheter.

Disclosed is a system and method for the placement of elongate medical members within a patient's body using coaptive ultrasound that combines magnetic guidance with ultrasound visualization of the medical member in the patient's body. A coaptive ultrasound probe adaptor magnetically attracts an elongate medical member within the patient with sufficient force so as to allow the operator to manually guide the member to its intended location. The adaptor mates with an ultrasound probe to provide the medical operator ultrasound feedback of the position of the member, thus allowing internal placement without the need for more specialized medical equipment.

A catheter for ablation, mapping, injection, and directional control by an external magnetic system has a catheter body, an intermediate section, and a tip section having a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal end and a concentric needle port. The tip electrode houses a magnetic device and a position sensor in an integrated configuration that facilitates a path in the tip section for extension and retraction of a component, including an injection needle, with reduced stress and friction. The integrated configuration is an efficient use of space in the tip electrode that allows the tip section to carry both the position sensor and the necessary volume of magnetic or magnetizable material to accomplish magnetic navigation. The catheter also includes a very soft and flexible intermediate section and an even softer and more flexible distal transitional section carrying additional magnetic members to facilitate remote magnetic navigation.

The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.

An invasive medical device (10) is disclosed comprising an elongate device portion (20) attached to a handle (30), the elongate device portion including a flexible tip (21) at a distal end of the elongate device portion and a plurality of pull wires (23) attached to said flexible tip; and a plurality of electrically conductive shape memory elements (33) entirely contained with in said handle, each of the shape memory elements coupled to and extending in a length direction between one of said pull wires and a current source connection (61) arranged to provide an electrical current to said electrically conductive shape memory element, each of the electrically conductive shape memory elements having a negative coefficient of expansion in said length direction. The invasive medical device (10) preferably comprises a cooling arrangement (70, 80) for the plurality of electrically conductive shape memory elements to reduce the relaxation times of the shape memory elements. Also disclosed are an invasive medical device arrangement including such an invasive medical device and an imaging system adapted to cooperate with such an invasive medical device arrangement.

Provided herein as a steerable surgical robotic system for positioning a catheter comprising a sheath and a guidewire within a patient body, including a sheath driver configured to advance and retract a sheath having a hollow interior along a sheath advance and retract path extending therein, a guidewire driver configured to advance and retract a guidewire along a guidewire advance and retract path extending therein, wherein each of the sheath advance and retract path and the guidewire advance and retract path extend between pairs of rollers in the respective sheath and roller drivers, and the paths are parallel to each another.

A deflectable medical device (1) includes a shape memory alloy wire (15) integrated into a flexible elongated body (11). The shape memory alloy wire (15) is arranged to shorten upon receiving energy from an energy supply (2,4), thereby deflecting the medical device (1). A rod (18) positioned in a lumen (14) of the flexible elongated body (11) and compressed between a fixture (16) in the proximal end (12) of the elongated body (11) and the distal end (13) of the elongated body (11) is responsible for the shape memory alloy wire (15) recovering its initial length upon discontinuation of energy supply.

A catheter system utilizing one or more sensors is described. The catheter can be used as part of an embolic coil system, guidewire system, or combined embolic coil/guidewire system where the devices interact with the catheter system. A variable detachment embolic coil system and guidewire system are also described.

The disclosure provides a flexible, narrow medical device (such as a micro-catheter or a guidewire) that is controllably moved and steered through lumens of a body. The medical device may include an electrically-actuatable bendable portion at a distal end, which may be provided by a polymer electrolyte layer, electrodes distributed about the polymer electrolyte layer, and electrical conduits coupled to the electrodes, such that the polymer electrolyte layer deforms asymmetrically in response to an electrical signal through one or more conduits. The disclosure further includes a controller for moving the device into and out of bodily lumens and for applying the electrical signal for steering the device. The device further includes methods of preparing the polymer electrolyte layer in tubular shape.