Catheter Drug Delivery System and Method for Use

Abstract

A steerable guide catheter system for navigation through the vasculature of a patient to the heart.

1 . A steerable guide catheter system comprising:
 a guide catheter comprising a distal catheter body ( 234 ) housing a deployable drug delivery element and a proximal catheter body having a distal end connected to the distal catheter body and a proximal end;   a first pair of pull wires extending from the distal end of the proximal catheter body to the proximal end of the proximal catheter body, and terminating distally at point proximal to the distal catheter body, said pull wires being disposed on opposite sides of the guide catheter;   a pull wire steering mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the proximal catheter body, operably connected to the pull wires;   bending ribbons disposed orthogonally to the pull wires, disposed within the wall of the proximal catheter body, said ribbons having a width exceeding the thickness of the ribbons, said ribbons being disposed within the catheter wall such that the width is aligned with a diameter of the proximal catheter body, along a line generally perpendicular to the diameter established by the pull wires, whereby the catheter is steerable across the plane established by the ribbons.   
   
   
       2 . The steerable guide catheter system of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a retracting sleeve disposed coaxially about the distal catheter body;   a second pair of pull wires, said second pair of pull wires fixed to the retracting sleeve and running proximally through the guide catheter to the proximal end of the guide catheter.   
   
   
       3 . A steerable guide catheter system comprising:
 a guide catheter comprising a distal catheter body ( 234 ) housing a deployable drug delivery element and a proximal catheter body having a distal end connected to the distal catheter body and a proximal end;   a first bending ribbon and a second bending ribbon characterized by a width and thickness with is less that the width, disposed within the side wall of the guide catheter on opposite sides of the guide catheter thereby establishing a bending plane;   a first pair of pull wires extending from the distal end of the proximal catheter body to the proximal end of the proximal catheter body, and terminating distally at point proximal to the distal catheter body, said pull wires being disposed on opposite sides of the bending plane established by the first and second bending ribbon;   a pull wire steering mechanism disposed at the proximal end of the proximal catheter body, operably connected to the pull wires   
   
   
       4 . The steerable guide catheter system of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a retracting sleeve disposed coaxially about the distal catheter body;   a second pair of pull wires, said second pair of pull wires fixed to the retracting sleeve and running proximally through the guide catheter to the proximal end of the guide catheter.   
   
   
       5 . The steerable guide catheter system of  claim 3  wherein the first pair of pull wires are offset from the bending ribbons by about 90°.