Abstract: The present invention provides a deflectable catheter having a catheter body, a tip section attached at a distal end of the catheter body and a control handle attached at a proximal end of the catheter body. A puller wire, anchored at its proximal end to the control handle and at its distal end to the tip section is provided in the catheter for deflecting the tip section. Longitudinal movement of the puller wire relative to the catheter body, resulting in the deflection of the tip section, is accomplished by a suitable manipulation of the control handle. To eliminate the “residual tip curve” problem arising out of the deflection, and especially repeated deflection, of the tip section a straightening element is carried by the catheter tip section. The straightening element consists of a short section of a flexibly resilient material and may be any suitable shape. The material of the straightening element is capable of returning to its original shape after plastic deformation.

Abstract: A steerable, direct myocardial revascularization catheter comprises a catheter body, a control handle, a tip section, and a means for deflecting the tip section by manipulation of the control handle. The catheter body has an outer walls proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The control handle is situated at the proximal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter also comprises an electromagnetic sensor in the distal portion of the tip section for producing electrical signals indicative of the location of the electromagnetic sensor.

Abstract: A bidirectional steerable catheter comprises a catheter body, a tip section, and a control handle. The catheter body has a tubular wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tip section comprises flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The control handle is mounted at its distal end to the proximal end of the catheter body. The control handle comprises a housing having proximal and distal ends. Rotatably mounted within the housing is a generally-circular spur gear having gear teeth about its outer circumference. A pair of spaced apart rack gears are slidably mounted longitudinally on diametrically opposed sides of the spur gear within the housing.

Abstract: A steerable injection catheter comprises a catheter body, a deflection control handle, a needle control handle, a tip section, and a means for deflecting the tip section by manipulation of the deflection control handle. A moveable injection needle extends from the needle control handle and through the catheter body and tip section. The needle may be moved out of the distal tip of the catheter by manipulation of the catheter control handle. The catheter also comprises a tip electrode mounted at the distal end of the tip section. An electrode lead wire is electrically connected to the tip electrode. The lead wire extends through a lumen in the tip section, through a lumen in the catheter body and into the deflection control handle. The injection catheter also includes an electromagnetic mapping sensor which is disposed within the distal tip of the catheter for providing tip location information.

Abstract: A steerable catheter having an irrigated tip comprises a catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and a single lumen extending therethrough. A control handle is fixedly attached to the proximal end of the catheter body. A tip section comprising a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least two lumens extending therethrough is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. A tip electrode is fixedly attached to the distal end of the tip section. The tip electrode has at least one fluid passage in fluid communication with a lumen in the tip section. An infusion tube having proximal and distal ends extends through the lumen in the catheter body. The distal end of the infusion tube is in open communication with the proximal end of the fluid passage in the tip electrode such that fluid can flow through the infusion tube, into the fluid passage in the tip electrode to the outer surface of the tip electrode.

Abstract: A mapping catheter comprises a catheter body, a handle and a tip section. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The handle is at the proximal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The proximal end of the flexible tubing is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises an electromagnetic sensor for producing electrical signals indicative of the location of the electromagnetic sensor. The tip section further comprises a multi-element tip electrode mounted at the distal end of the tip section comprising a plurality of electrode members electrically isolated from one another and arranged such that, during use of the catheter within the heart, at least two different electrode members are capable of contacting the endocardium tissue at one time.

Abstract: A steerable direct myocardial revascularization catheter comprises a catheter body, a tip section and a control handle. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tip section comprises flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The control handle comprises a first member fixedly attached to the proximal end of the catheter body, a second member being movable relative to the first member, and a first guide tube extending through the control handle from the proximal end to the distal end of the control handle. The first guide tube is fixedly attached to one of the first or second members. The catheter also comprises an optic fiber having a distal end and a proximal end.

Abstract: A method for direct myocardial revascularization by providing a catheter with a catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough, a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body, and a tip section having proximal and distal ends. The tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter also comprises an electromagnetic sensor in the distal portion tip section for producing electrical signals indicative of the location of the electromagnetic sensor. The catheter further comprises at least one electrode carried by the tip section for mapping electrical activity of the heart tissue and at least one electrode lead wire electrically connected to the electrode. An optic fiber is provided within the catheter with its distal end being substantially flush with the distal end of the tip section. Manipulation of the control handle results in deflection of the tip section.

Abstract: A steerable direct myocardial revascularization catheter comprises a catheter body, a control handle, a tip section, and a means for deflecting the tip section by manipulation of the control handle. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The control handle is fixedly attached to the proximal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter also comprises a tip electrode mounted at the distal end of the tip section. The tip electrode has a distal face and an optic fiber lumen therethrough. An electrode lead wire is electrically connected to the tip electrode. The lead wire extends through a lumen in the tip section, through a lumen in the catheter body and into the control handle.

Abstract: A steerable electromagnetic catheter comprises a catheter body, tip section, and control handle. The catheter body has proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The control handle is fixedly attached to the proximal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. A tip electrode is mounted at the distal end of the tip section and has at least one blind hole extending from its proximal end. The blind hole is in communication with at least one lumen in the tip section. An electromagnetic sensor is mounted in the tip section. The catheter further comprises a means for deflecting the tip section.

Abstract: A steerable catheter comprises a catheter body, a control handle, and a tip section. The catheter body comprises an outer wall having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The control handle is situated at the proximal end of the catheter body. The tip section comprises a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one off axis lumen. The catheter also comprises a spacer at the junction of the catheter body and tip section. The spacer is made of a material more flexible than the catheter body but less flexible than the flexible tubing of the tip section. The spacer is fixedly situated between the proximal end of the tip section and the distal end of the catheter body. The catheter further comprises a compression coil and a puller wire. The compression coil extends through a lumen in the catheter body and into an off axis lumen in the tip section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electrophysiology catheter (an electrode catheter) having an electromagnetic sensor designed internally into the tip portion. The catheter is a size 7 French or 8 French of metal braided construction with preferably three lumens. The catheter has a deflectable tip utilizing an offset lumen with a puller wire, a non compressible coil in the body section and a compressible Teflon sheath in the tip section. The coil is glued to the catheter shaft at both ends of the coil but does not run through the deflectable section, thus deflection of the puller wire which deflects the tip to the coil, keeps the body from compressing and deflecting. The puller wire is soldered to a tip electrode and runs to a control handle. The electromagnetic sensor is mounted internally in the catheter tip by a combination of a hole drilled in the three lumen tip and a hollow bridging that covers the electromagnetic sensor and connects the tip electrode to the catheter shaft.