Matthew A. Palmer,Thomas O. Bales, JR.,Tyler Bond,Eric Petersen,Derek Dee Deville,William T. Bales,Matthew Weger
申请号：
US15947505
公开号：
US20180289925A1
申请日:
2018.04.06
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2018
代理人:
摘要：
A catheter comprises a heater control supplying power, a handle, a base catheter with lumen and comprising a proximal section and a distal segment, and a variable stiffness element. The element comprises a heater connected to the heater control, coiled at least at the distal segment, and comprising a shaft portion of a first metallic conductive material and a heater portion of a second metallic conductive material. A jacket is disposed about the heater portion. A variable flex sub-assembly between the catheter and jacket comprises a non-conducting braid and a binding material. Without power, the binding material is stiffened. Responsive to heating of the binding material, the binding material softens to increase flexibility of the variable flex sub-assembly at least at the distal segment. Responsive to removing power, the binding material cools and stiffens to decrease flexibility of the variable flex sub-assembly at least at the distal segment.
