Patent ID: 8083713
Filing Date: 2011-12-27
Classification: A61M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for manufacturing a controllable stiffness catheter, which comprises: providing a shaft with a stiffness sheath and an access lumen; disposing a stiffness device inside the stiffness sheath, the stiffness device having a resistive heater and a melting binder at least partially surrounding and thermally contacting the resistive heater, the binder being substantially solid at body temperature and softening above body temperature; spirally winding a first electrical conductor about the stiffness device; spirally winding a second electrical conductor about the stiffness device so that the second electrical conductor is electrically isolated from the first electrical conductor; electrically connecting a controller to the first electrical conductor, to the second electrical conductor, and to a power supply to form an electrically resistive circuit having the stiffness device as a resistor of the electrically resistive circuit; and with the controller, selectively supplying power to the stiffness device through the electrically resistive circuit and, thereby, controlling a temperature of the resistive heater and the binder to change a stiffness of the stiffness sheath between a relatively stiff state when the stiffness device is not powered by the controller and a relatively flexible state when the stiffness device is powered by the controller.