Appeal No. 1998-1045
Application 08/482,674
APPENDIX
38. A catheter tip control system comprising:
(a) a catheter having a highly flexible, tubular distal
catheter section extending from a main catheter tube and
having a central axis, catheter wall and describing a distal
catheter lumen and having a flexible distal tip area to be
precisely maneuvered independent of said main catheter, said
control system further comprising:
(1) a lateral deflection control element for
angularly displacing said distal tip about said central
axis threaded within the distal catheter lumen and having
a distal end anchored to the catheter wall at or near the
distal tip of the distal catheter section in a manner
such that the application of rotational torque to the
lateral deflection control element produces a
corresponding displacement of the distal tip in a plane
substantially parallel to the direction of the applied
rotational torque when said distal tip is deflected from a
linear disposition; and
(2) means for applying rotational torque to the
lateral deflection control element.
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