| US 7,493,156 B2 | ||
| Steerable guide catheter with pre-shaped rotatable shaft | ||
| Frank E. Manning, Valley Center, Calif. (US); Charles R. Peterson, Murrieta, Calif. (US); and Howard P. Graham, Temecula, Calif. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc., St. Paul, Minn. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 07, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/41,911. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2003/0130598 A1, Jul. 10, 2003 | ||
| Int. Cl. A61B 6/00 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 600—434 [600/561; 600/585] | 34 Claims |
| 1. A guide catheter, comprising:
an outer sheath comprising an open lumen, a pre-shaped distal end, a distal tip, a proximal end, and at least one longitudinally
disposed pre-stress line extending from the proximal end to the distal tip of the outer sheath;
an inner sheath comprising an open lumen, the inner sheath disposed within the open lumen of the outer sheath, the inner sheath
axially rotatable and longitudinally translatable relative to the outer sheath, a distal end of the inner sheath conforming
to a shape of the outer sheath when the inner sheath is retracted, and the distal end of the inner sheath assuming a pre-formed
shape different from the shape of the outer sheath when the distal end of the inner sheath is extended beyond the distal end
of the outer sheath;
a steering tendon disposed along the outer sheath, a distal end of the steering tendon connected to the distal tip of the
outer sheath;
a guide handle connected to the proximal end of the outer sheath, the guide handle comprising at least one longitudinally
disposed pre-stress line aligned with the at least one longitudinally disposed pre-stressed line of the outer sheath, and
at least two elongated separation grips positioned at the proximal end of the guide handle aligned substantially parallel
to the at least one longitudinally disposed pre-stress line of the guide handle, the guide catheter configured such that separation
of the guide handle into at least two sections along the at least one longitudinally disposed pre-stress line of the guide
handle initiates separation of the outer sheath along the at least one pre-stress line of the outer sheath;
a steering mechanism comprising a lever pivotably disposed on the guide handle, the steering mechanism connected to a proximal
end of the steering tendon and providing a pulling force on the steering tendon in response to pivoting of the lever to adjustably
change a shape of the pre-shaped distal end of the outer sheath;
at least one pressure sensing device connected to the distal end of the inner sheath; and
at least one electrical conductor coupled to the at least one pressure sensing device, the at least one conductor disposed
within the inner sheath.
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