Abstract: The present invention relates to a catheter incorporating an articulating distal end, including a catheter body with a central lumen and an outer wall in which are one or more wires, and a handle including mechanisms for applying tension to the wires. Applying tension to a wire will cause a bending portion of the catheter to bend into an arc. When more than one wire or tensioning member and more than one mechanism for applying tension are included in the catheter, the wires are offset from each other so that multiple bends on multiple planes may be formed in multiple bending portions in the body of the catheter. The present invention further relates to a catheter including one wire, and a handle including a mechanism for applying tension to the wire, the wire and the catheter body configured so that applying tension to a wire will cause more than one bending portion of the catheter to bend into an arc, and the bending portions are made of different durometer material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a medical device including two parallel tubes attached to each other, one of which is shorter in length and receives a guide snare for directing the path of the catheter within a patient's blood vessels and into the patient's heart. The present invention further relates to a method of using a catheter comprising two tubes, whereby a guide snare is anchored to a shunt within a patient's heart and extends out of the patient's body, one of the tubes of the catheter being placed about the guide snare and the catheter being advanced into the patient's heart along the guide snare.