A stylet for use in guiding a catheter to a predetermined location within the body of a patient includes a continuous core member for transmitting an electrical signal from a distal section of the stylet to a proximal end. The stylet includes a differing stiffness profile along its length. The differing stiffness characteristics are achieved by varying the number of strands of a wire, the diameter of each individual strand, twisting or braiding the strands, or varying the number of turns per unit length of the twisted strands. The stiffness of the stylet may decrease intermittently or continuously from the proximal end to the distal section. By using multiple strands bundled together, the beneficial conductive and, optionally, magnetic properties can be maximized while at the same time the stiffness characteristics can be modified.

A guide wire assembly for medical use includes at least a portion which is formed of a plurality of inter-cooperating elements forming a flexible section of the guide wire assembly, and specifically a section that can have varying flexibility. A control device passes through a lumen extending for the whole length of the guide wire and is typically fixed at a distal end of the assembly. The control device is used to change the flexibility of the guidewire assembly and in some embodiments to lock it in position. The elements have tapering internal lumens for accommodating the control device, particularly when the guide wire is bent.

A medical instrument such as a guidewire that is designed to have controlled torque transmission along its length. Specially treated areas are placed in selected and equal areas along the entire length of the elongated shaft of the medical instrument, and are separated from one another by untreated areas. This process ensures that any torque is transmitted distally, in a smooth manner, regardless of the guidewire position, thus resulting in a substantial reduction in whipping. In one embodiment, a stainless steel guidewire is utilized, and is subjected to annealing heat treatment in selected areas. This annealing process creates a mandrel that has repeated temper properties along its length. Torque applied at one end of this mandrel is transmitted to the opposite end in an even and controlled manner, even when the mandrel is formed into a loop.

A steerable-catheter handle includes an outer housing with a multilumen catheter body extending generally distally therefrom. An internal track, including at least one track-defining lateral edge element, is disposed between distal and proximal terminal ends of the outer housing, which also houses a manifold engaged with the catheter body, a working-channel port member in fluid and mechanical communication with at least a first catheter lumen, a vacuum channel port member in fluid communication with at least one catheter lumen via one or both of the working channel port member and the manifold, and a generally proximal catheter port open to the internal track, where a distal endmost portion of the catheter mechanically communicates with one or more control surfaces so that the distal endmost portion of the catheter is deflectable along at least two intersecting axes, and where a portion of the catheter body extends removably through the internal track.

A secure attachment method and structure for a wire (including non-metallic fiber, yarn, cable, etc.) is provided within a steerable catheter that includes a proximal end, a distal end, and an intermediate catheter body length therebetween, with at least a first catheter lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter body, at least a first elongate wire disposed longitudinally through the first catheter lumen, and an adhesive substantially within, and securing the wire to, a dilated distalmost length of the first longitudinal lumen, where at least a lengthwise portion of the wire is frayed or otherwise at least partially disaggregated. The structure and method provides for robustly secure affixation that will allow steering/deflection control by manipulation of another portion of the wire.

A spool and gear mechanism for tensioning and manipulating the steering/deflection control wires of a steerable catheter device provides for a desired level of tension that will allow operation of the device without too little or too much tension in those wires. In a wire-tensioning mechanism for a steerable catheter, the mechanism includes at least a first and second steering/deflection control wire each attached to the spool by winding around its own detent-engaged rotatable gear in the spool and extending out through a radial wall of the spool to engage into a steerable catheter body. In a multi-spool system, the wire-tensioning/winding gears of each spool preferably are accessible for adjustment via apertures of an adjacent spool.

A tube or skeleton for a steerable catheter includes a cylindrical body structured to permit bending in at least one bending direction and to resist bending in directions transverse to the bending direction. The cylindrical body may include a laser cut metal tube, wires bent and connected to one another, or one or more coiled wires with axial support wires attached to the coil to define one or more bending directions to form bending segments. The skeleton includes axially stiff portions that resist compression when a pull wire is pulled to cause bending movement. The axially stiff portions may include a backbone, an alignment of pivot structures, connected axially extending portions of wire elements, or axially extending support wires or rods. Two or more bending portions may be provided, each with different bending directions. Complex bending shapes may be provided by arranging the segments in rotated positions along the skeleton.

The disclosure concerns a steerable device for use as e.g. a guidewire for insertion into a subject's body. The device features a single side deflection of a bendable portion located at its distal end by application of a longitudinally-directed force either on an inner pull wire or on the bendable portion. The bendable portion is characterized by the presence of a reinforcement structure on one lateral side and a stress relief portion on the opposed lateral side that, upon actuation of the device, allows single side bending thanks to the physical constriction of the reinforcement structure, limiting the compression of one side of the bendable portion. The disclosure further concerns a system further comprising the steerable device and an actuator, as well as methods for using thereof.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus comprising (a) a guide wire having a first end and a second end, (b) an affixing harness coupled to the guide wire, the affixing harness having at least one projection extending towards the first end of the guide wire, (c) a plurality of alignment strings having a first end and a second end, where the first end of each of the plurality of alignment strings is removably coupled to the at least one projection of the affixing harness, and (d) an affixing shield removably coupled to at least one of the affixing harness and the guide wire, wherein the affixing shield is movably positioned over the at least one projection of the affixing harness.

A steerable guidewire. The steerable guidewire is fabricated includes an outer tube, an inner tube, a hub, and a distal articulating region. The steerable guidewire hub can be removed to permit advancement of catheters over its proximal end followed by re-attachment of the hub to permit deflection of the distal end of the steerable guidewire.