FIELD: medicine.
SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to medical equipment, specifically, to electrode catheters used for stimulating and mapping electrical activity of the heart and ablation of areas with disturbed electrical activity, and, in particular, to catheters with a deflectable portion and a control handle to control deflection. Catheter includes a flexible tubing, and a control handle proximal of the flexible tubing. Control handle has a barrel housing and a piston in a telescopic configuration, and a tension adjustment assembly. Piston has a thumb control. Piston is configured for longitudinal movement relative to the housing by a user via the thumb control for deflecting the tubing. Tension adjustment assembly includes a force member adapted to apply a force on the piston, and a knob rotationally coupled to the force member. Knob is adapted for rotation by the user to adjust the force applied on the piston by the force member. Catheter also comprises a puller wire extending through the catheter and having a proximal end anchored in the control handle. And the puller wire is responsive to longitudinal movement of the piston relative to the barrel housing. Tension adjustment assembly further includes at least one rotational guide provided on the barrel housing, and wherein, the knob has at least one pin engaged with the guide, wherein the guide is configured to limit rotation of the handle. According to the second embodiment of the catheter, the tension adjustment assembly includes a set screw, adapted to apply a force on the piston, and a knob mounted on the barrel housing and having an axial bore receiving a portion of the set screw. Knob and the set screw are rotationally coupled to each other. Barrel housing has a radial bore extending between the knob and the barrel housing and receiving another portion of the set screw. Knob is adapted for rotation by the user to adjust the force applied by the set screw on the piston. Tension adjustment assembly further includes at least one rotational guide provided on the barrel housing. Knob has at least one pin engaged with the guide, wherein the guide is configured to limit rotation of the handle. Said at least one rotational guide is recessed to receive at least a distal portion of the at least one pin extending from the knob. According to the third embodiment, the catheter comprises an elongated catheter body, an intermediate deflectable section and a control handle proximal of the catheter body. Control handle has a barrel housing and a piston having a proximal portion substantially surrounded by a barrel housing, and the distal portion located outside the barrel housing; and a tension adjustment assembly. Distal portion of the piston has a thumb control. Piston is configured for longitudinal movement relative to the housing by a user via the thumb control for deflecting the intermediate section. According to the fourth embodiment of the catheter, the adjustment assembly includes a set screw, configured for a frictional engagement with the piston, and a knob mounted on the housing and rotatably coupled to the set screw. Knob is rotatable in one direction to increase the frictional engagement and rotatable in an opposition direction to decrease the frictional engagement. Wherein increasing the frictional engagement locks the piston and the housing in a desired position, and decreasing the frictional engagement unlocks the piston and the housing and allows repositioning of the piston and the housing relative to each other. Inventions have a tension adjustment assembly that allows the catheter to be detachably fixed at the desired deflection and allows the deflection of the catheter to be adjusted.
EFFECT: unidirectional catheter control handle with tensioning control is proposed.
18 cl, 7 dwg
