Ronald G. Williams,Keith Phillip Laby,Mark D. Barrish,Tim Williams
申请号：
US16790568
公开号：
US20200179652A1
申请日:
2020.02.13
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2020
代理人:
摘要：
Devices, systems, and methods for articulating elongate flexible structures such as catheters optionally include an array of fluid-expandable bodies such as balloons. The array can be formed using separate strings of balloons formed along single-lumen balloon tube material. The balloon strings can be twisted together to form a multi-channel bundle, or the balloon strings may be circumferentially separated, each extending axially. Regardless, the balloons along a common lumen may be aligned so as to bend the catheter in a desired lateral direction. The fluid-expandable bodies may include an elastomeric bladder with a fiber braid so that inflation of the bladder shortens the assembly and applies axial tension to articulate the catheter. The elongate flexible structures may be pre-biased so as to form a bend when in a relaxed configuration, with the structures being articulatable from the bend.
