Abstract: A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

Abstract: A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device.

Abstract: A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device.

Abstract: An irrigated electrophysiology catheter has a tip electrode having a shell, and a support member configured to plug the shell and support one or more tip components and/or facilitate their functions. Advantageously, the support member has an electrically-conductive interface portion and an insert-molded portion, wherein the interface portion, typically constructed of a precious metal alloy, is structurally minimized, yet still configured for electrical connection with the shell and the lead wire, so as to reduce the amount and hence the cost of its manufacture, whereas the insert-molded portion is constructed of a significantly less-costly material and is readily configured with micro-complex 3-D geometry adapted to support tip structure and functions including irrigation, force sensing and temperature sensing, as a further cost savings in the manufacturing of the tip electrode by reducing materials, labor and time.

Abstract: An irrigated electrophysiology catheter has a tip electrode having a shell, and a support member configured to plug the shell and support one or more tip components and/or facilitate their functions. Advantageously, the support member has an electrically-conductive interface portion and an insert-molded portion, wherein the interface portion, typically constructed of a precious metal alloy, is structurally minimized, yet still configured for electrical connection with the shell and the lead wire, so as to reduce the amount and hence the cost of its manufacture, whereas the insert-molded portion is constructed of a significantly less-costly material and is readily configured with micro-complex 3-D geometry adapted to support tip structure and functions including irrigation, force sensing and temperature sensing, as a further cost savings in the manufacturing of the tip electrode by reducing materials, labor and time.

Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter has a distal electrode section having a generally-cylindrical, hollow housing body, a lumen and an opening in a sidewall. A flex circuit has a first portion supported on the outer surface the housing body, and a second portion that extends into the lumen via the opening for connection to cables and/or wires in the lumen. The flex circuit has a first and second magnetic field sensing coil traces generally perpendicular to each other and a magnetic field sensing coil wire generally perpendicular thereto is wound around the housing body to form an x/y/z position sensor. One or more ring electrodes are carried on the housing body, separated by ring spacers. A force sensor is mounted on a distal end of the housing body, with strain gauges electrically connected to the flex circuit. The housing is configured to provide a distal anchor for a puller tensile.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

Abstract: A deflectable catheter with biased deflection characteristics has an elongated catheter body having a micro-injection molded spine that is configured with a center core, outwardly extending opposing struts, and one or more sets of longitudinally-aligned and discrete fins, wherein the struts resist deflection of the spine in a first plane and bias deflection of the spine in a second plane, wherein parameters of the discrete fins define deflection characteristics of the spine in the second plane.

Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter has a distal electrode section having a generally-cylindrical, hollow housing body, a lumen and an opening in a sidewall. A flex circuit has a first portion supported on the outer surface the housing body, and a second portion that extends into the lumen via the opening for connection to cables and/or wires in the lumen. The flex circuit has a first and second magnetic field sensing coil traces generally perpendicular to each other and a magnetic field sensing coil wire generally perpendicular thereto is wound around the housing body to form an x/y/z position sensor. One or more ring electrodes are carried on the housing body, separated by ring spacers. A force sensor is mounted on a distal end of the housing body, with strain gauges electrically connected to the flex circuit. The housing is configured to provide a distal anchor for a puller tensile.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a rotational control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The rotational control assembly has an outer rotational member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the rotational control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

Abstract: An electrophysiology catheter has a distal electrode section having a generally-cylindrical, hollow housing body, a lumen and an opening in a sidewall. A flex circuit has a first portion supported on the outer surface the housing body, and a second portion that extends into the lumen via the opening for connection to cables and/or wires in the lumen. The flex circuit has a first and second magnetic field sensing coil traces generally perpendicular to each other and a magnetic field sensing coil wire generally perpendicular thereto is wound around the housing body to form an x/y/z position sensor. One or more ring electrodes are carried on the housing body, separated by ring spacers. A force sensor is mounted on a distal end of the housing body, with strain gauges electrically connected to the flex circuit. The housing is configured to provide a distal anchor for a puller tensile.

Abstract: A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device.

Abstract: A deflectable catheter with biased deflection characteristics has an elongated catheter body having a micro-injection molded spine that is configured with a center core, outwardly extending opposing struts, and one or more sets of longitudinally-aligned and discrete fins, wherein the struts resist deflection of the spine in a first plane and bias deflection of the spine in a second plane, wherein parameters of the discrete fins define deflection characteristics of the spine in the second plane.

Abstract: A catheter having an internal advancing mechanism that can advance stiffening wires or other devices, has a catheter with a catheter body, a tip section distal the catheter body, a device extending through at least the catheter body, and a control handle proximal the catheter body, where the control handle has an advancing mechanism with a threaded member, an adjustment member, and a guided member to which the device is connected, and the advancing mechanism is configured to advance and retract the device along the catheter body as controlled by a user. Each of the threaded member and the adjustment member has a generally cylindrical configuration. The threaded member has an outer surface configured with a helical guide channel. The adjustment member is configured to guide the guided member to move within the helical guide channel to advance and retract the device. The adjustment member can be rotatable over the threaded member by the user to control advancement and retraction of the device.

Abstract: A sheath introducer for use with a catheter, has a hub and a tube through which the catheter extends, and a lock assembly which has a rotational knob that actuates a plurality of prongs arranged in a radial pattern around a hole in the hub that receives the catheter, wherein the prongs synchronously rotate in one direction to grip the catheter or in the other direction to release the catheter.

Abstract: An irrigated electrophysiology catheter has a tip electrode having a shell, and a support member configured to plug the shell and support one or more tip components and/or facilitate their functions. Advantageously, the support member has an electrically-conductive interface portion and an insert-molded portion, wherein the interface portion, typically constructed of a precious metal alloy, is structurally minimized, yet still configured for electrical connection with the shell and the lead wire, so as to reduce the amount and hence the cost of its manufacture, whereas the insert-molded portion is constructed of a significantly less-costly material and is readily configured with micro-complex 3-D geometry adapted to support tip structure and functions including irrigation, force sensing and temperature sensing, as a further cost savings in the manufacturing of the tip electrode by reducing materials, labor and time.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.

Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a rotational control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The rotational control assembly has an outer rotational member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the rotational control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.