For robotically operating a catheter, translation and/or rotation manipulation is provided along the shaft or away from the handle, such as near a point of access to the patient. A worm drive arrangement may allow for both translation and rotation of the shaft. Some control may be provided by robotic manipulation of the handle, while other control (e.g., fine adjustments) are made by robotic manipulation of the shaft.

A cannula assembly includes an elongate shaft assembly that is adjustable by a clinician to vary the length of the cannula assembly. In particular, the elongate shaft assembly may be transitioned to provide various lengths of the cannula assembly by selectively positioning a plurality of segments of the elongate shaft assembly. In this manner, a single cannula assembly may be tailored to each patient or a surgical procedure being performed.

A catheter for radial artery access to the contralateral subclavian artery and internal mammary artery is disclosed. The catheter includes a preformed tubular hook element configured for aligning coaxially within the subclavian artery from a radial access. The tubular hook element includes a first arm connected to a second arm via a curved element, and a second arm connected, via a second curved element, to an elongated tubular body. Each curved element has an angle between approximately 90-130 degrees. The catheter can receive a second catheter and guide it to further advance the subclavian artery. The second catheter then extends past distal end of the catheter and advances into the internal mammary arteries for selective angiography and intervention. The two-catheter system allows angiography and intervention of the entire right and left upper extremities to be performed depending on the access from the left or right radial artery, respectively.

A guiding device is provided. An implantable apparatus includes a member to be anchored. A position-limiting wire is detachably connected to the implantable apparatus. A proximal end of the position-limiting wire is connected to the control handle. A distal end of the guiding catheter is provided with a guiding member. A distal end portion of the guiding catheter is bendable. A proximal end of the delivery catheter and a proximal end of the guiding catheter are respectively connected to the control handle. When the control handle is manipulated to make the guiding member on the guiding catheter move along the position-limiting wire toward the distal end, the distal end portion of the guiding catheter is bent and deformed, such that the distal end of the guiding catheter abuts against the member to be anchored of the implantable apparatus.

A delivery apparatus for an expandable, implantable medical device comprises a handle portion, a shaft extending from the handle portion, a delivery capsule configured to house the medical device in a radially compressed state, and a rotatable component disposed in the handle portion and operatively coupled to the delivery capsule to produce axial movement of the delivery capsule upon rotation of the rotatable component. The delivery apparatus further comprises a motor disposed in the handle portion that is operatively coupled to the rotatable component so as to produce rotation of the rotatable component and corresponding axial movement of the delivery capsule. Further, the delivery apparatus comprises a manual deployment tool that is also configured to produce rotation of the rotatable component and corresponding axial movement of the delivery capsule when a manual pulling force is applied to the pull cord to pull the pull cord relative to the rotatable component.

A bending neck comprising a plurality of pivotally connected hollow links is formed by machining a tube to form individual, pivotally connected links. A second tube may be located inside the first tube and simultaneously machined with the first tube. Grooves are formed on opposite sides of the outer surface of the second tube to provide a passageway for control cables which control the articulation of the links. In a second implementation indentations are formed in the side of the single tube to form ring-like projections into the inner lumen of each link, through which the control cables may pass.

Three groups of guidewire embodiments are described with particularly suitable structures for navigating circuitous vessels, especially blood vessels of the brain. Some of the guidewires have a hyperbolic taper that provides desired flexibility. In some embodiments, an integrated guide structure provides for extension in the blood vessel of a corewire to provide for extended reach of the guidewire. In further embodiments, the guidewire has a flexible tip that can be guided directly by the flow in the vessel.

A method and system for determining a target location for a medical device having complex geometry relative to an anatomical feature, and for navigating and positioning the medical device at the target location. The system may include a medical device including a treatment element having a centroid, one or more navigation electrodes, and a longitudinal axis and a navigation system in communication with the one or more navigation electrodes, the navigation system including a processing unit. The processing unit may be programmed to define a plane that approximates a surface of the anatomical feature, define a centroid of the anatomical feature, define a vector that is normal to the plane and extends away from the centroid of the anatomical feature, and determine a target location for the treatment element of the medical device based on the vector to assist the user in placing the device for treatment.

A steering assembly of a medical device may comprise a handle having a recess and first and second wire guides disposed within the recess. At least one of the first or second wire guides may be keyed to the recess to prevent rotation of the first or second wire guide within the recess. First and second wire segments may be configured to steer a sheath coupled to the steering assembly in first and second directions. The first wire segment may pass through a first gap between the first wire guide and the second wire guide. The second wire segment may pass through a second gap between the first wire guide and the second wire guide. Neither of the first nor the second gap may occupy any overlapping space.

An all-purpose drainage catheter which includes an all-purpose drainage catheter lumen, an extension tubing, a collection bag, a catheter hub, a Luer valve. The extension tubing inserted into the all-purpose drainage catheter lumen. The collection bag is fluidly coupled to the extension tubing. The Luer valve facilitates nephrostomy care so that when the all-purpose drainage catheter is in place urine flows from the renal pelvis into the all-purpose drainage catheter lumen, the extension tubing and the collection bag. The Luer valve employs a scalloped Luer-style male connector which, when screwed into the catheter hub, further allows urine to flow from the renal pelvis into the all-purpose drainage catheter lumen, the extension tubing and the collection bag. The all-purpose drainage catheter includes an outer catheter hub, an inner catheter hub coupled to the Luer valve at one end thereof and insertedly coupled to the outer catheter hub. A gear rack has a set of ratchet teeth and is disposed on and coupled to the inner catheter hub. A ratchet pawl disposed on and coupled to the outer catheter hub and aligned with the gear rack so that the ratchet pawl engages one of the ratchet teeth to secure the inner catheter hup to the outer catheter hub.