Articulating handle for a deflectable catheter and method therefor

Abstract

A catheter assembly includes a handle assembly, and a catheter body coupled with the handle assembly, where the catheter body extends to a deflectable distal end portion, and the deflectable distal end is controllable by a flexible element. A lever actuator member is operatively coupled with the flexible element, and movement of the actuator member provides for movement of the flexible element.

1 . A catheter assembly, comprising:
 a handle assembly, including a handle housing;   a catheter body coupled with the handle assembly, the catheter body extends to a deflectable distal end portion;   a pull wire anchor disposed within the handle assembly;   a pull wire, extending through a portion of the handle assembly, the pull wire is coupled to the anchor and operably coupled to the deflectable distal end portion, wherein the pull wire includes first and second pull wire segments disposed substantially within the handle assembly, and a third pull wire segment disposed substantially within the catheter body;   a projection disposed within the handle housing, the projection extends from an internal portion of the handle assembly, and the projection engages with and deflects the pull wire into the first and second pull wire segments between the catheter body and the anchor; and   a lever actuator member operatively coupled with the pull wire, the lever actuator member movable from a first lever position to a second lever position, wherein:
 in the first lever position, the first pull wire segment is a first initial length and the third pull wire segment is a second initial length; and 
 in the second lever position, the first pull wire segment is a greater length than the first initial length and the third pull wire segment is a lesser length than the second initial length. 
   
     
     
         2 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the second pull wire segment disposed substantially within the handle assembly is substantially the same when the lever actuator member is in the first lever position and when the lever actuator member is in the second lever position. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first pull wire segment disposed substantially within the handle assembly is disposed substantially between the pull wire anchor and the projection. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second pull wire segment disposed substantially within the handle assembly is disposed substantially between the projection and the catheter body. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the lever actuator member is configured to displace at least one of the pull wire anchor or the projection to increase the length of the pull wire disposed within the handle housing and decrease the length of the pull wire disposed within the catheter body. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly is configured for single-handed manipulation. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pull wire anchor disposed within the handle assembly is fixedly coupled to the lever actuator member. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the projection disposed within the handle housing is fixedly coupled to the lever actuator member. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the projection disposed within the handle housing includes a roller, the roller is movably coupled to the pull wire. 
     
     
         10 . A catheter assembly comprising:
 a handle assembly, including a handle housing;   a catheter body having a catheter body axis, the catheter body extends to a deflectable distal end portion, the deflectable distal end portion is movable from a distal portion first position to a distal portion second position;   a pull wire, operatively coupled with the handle assembly and the deflectable distal end portion, a pull wire first segment laterally exits the catheter body away from the catheter body axis;   a lever actuator member operatively coupled with the pull wire, the lever actuator member is continuously variable from a first lever position to a second lever position, and movement of the lever actuator member provides for movement of the pull wire and the deflectable distal end portion;   a pull wire anchor disposed within the handle assembly and fixedly coupled to the pull wire and at least one of the lever actuator member or the handle housing; and   a projection disposed within the handle housing, the projection extends from an internal portion of at least one of the handle housing or the lever actuator member, and the projection engages with and deflects the pull wire first segment, wherein a proximal portion of the pull wire first segment extends between the projection and the pull wire anchor, and wherein a distal portion of the pull wire first segment extends between the projection and the catheter body.   
     
     
         11 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lever actuator member is configured to displace at least one of the anchor or the projection to increase the amount of the pull wire disposed within the handle housing. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the proximal portion of the pull wire first segment has a first length in the first lever position and the proximal portion of the pull wire first segment has a second length in the second lever position; and
 wherein the second length is different than the first length.   
     
     
         13 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the projection disposed within the handle housing includes a roller, the roller movably coupled to the pull wire. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lever actuator member is configured to displace at least one of the pull wire anchor or the projection to increase the length of the pull wire first segment. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the handle assembly is configured to receive a grip force. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the projection extends from an internal portion of the handle housing; and
 wherein the pull wire anchor is fixedly coupled to the lever actuator member.   
     
     
         17 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the projection extends from an internal portion of the lever actuator member; and
 wherein the pull wire anchor is fixedly coupled to the handle housing.   
     
     
         18 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the lever actuator member is operatively coupled to the handle assembly at a fulcrum. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , including a locking mechanism associated with the deflectable distal end portion to secure the deflectable distal end portion in an intermediate position between the distal portion first position and the distal portion second position. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the deflectable distal end portion is displaced from the distal portion first position toward the distal portion second position by an amount proportional to a displacement of the lever actuator member. 
     
     
         21 . A method of manipulating a catheter assembly, comprising:
 deflecting a catheter pull wire with a projection disposed within a catheter handle assembly, the projection engages the pull wire between first and second pull wire segments, and the catheter pull wire is operably coupled to a deflectable distal end portion of the catheter assembly;   moving a lever actuator member from a first actuator position to a second actuator position, wherein moving the lever actuator member changes a length of the first pull wire segment; and   deflecting the distal end portion from a first position to a second position according to the movement of the lever actuator member and the change in length of the first pull wire segment.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , including moving the lever actuator member from the second actuator position to the first actuator position to deflect the distal end portion in a second direction, wherein moving the lever actuator member from the second actuator position to the first actuator position decreases a length of the first pull wire segment. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the moving the lever actuator member includes using a grip force to engage a first portion of the lever actuator member and forcibly position a second opposed portion of the lever actuator member inside the housing assembly, including moving the lever actuator member from a position along a first surface of the handle assembly toward a second opposite surface of the handle assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , comprising moving the lever actuator member along a first plane and moving the deflectable distal end portion along a second plane, wherein the first plane and the second plane are non-parallel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the moving the lever actuator member includes moving the projection, wherein the projection is fixedly coupled to the lever actuator member. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the moving the lever actuator member includes moving a pull wire anchor, wherein the pull wire anchor is fixedly coupled to the lever actuator member. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the moving the lever actuator member includes moving the pull wire over a roller coupled to the projection. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising securing the distal end portion in a deflected position.