Patent ID: 9744335
Date: 2017-08-29
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61M

Claim:
1. A steerable catheter apparatus comprising: a catheter shaft; a first pull wire enclosed within the catheter shaft and coupled to the catheter shaft such that a first application of tension to the first pull wire bends the catheter shaft; a second pull wire enclosed within the catheter shaft and coupled to the catheter shaft such that a second application of tension to the second pull wire bends the catheter shaft; and a sensing circuitry electrically coupled to one or more of the first or second pull wires to measure a change to an electrical resistance of the first or second pull wires, thereby indicating a change in tension or a breakage of the first or second pull wire, wherein the one or more of the first or second pull wire is electrically coupled to the catheter shaft, wherein the one or more of the first or second pull wires comprises a proximal portion configured to be operatively coupled to a robotic driver, the robotic driver being configured to apply tension to the one or more of the first or second pull wires to bend the catheter shaft, and wherein the sensing circuitry is integrated with the robotic driver.