Patent ID: 8398587
Filing Date: 2013-03-19
Classification: A61B,A61M,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A steerable tube, comprising a hollow elongate tubular member having a proximal end, distal end, a wall surface disposed between said proximal and distal end, a bend-resistive zone flanked by a proximal bendable zone that forms a controller and a distal bendable zone that moves responsive to movements of the controller, whereby the wall of the tubular member in the bend-resistive zone comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal slits, forming a plurality of longitudinal strips, the wall of the tubular member in the proximal bendable zone and the distal bendable zone comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal wires, at least one strip is in connection with a wire in the proximal bendable zone and a wire in the distal bendable zone, such that translation by said wire in the controller is transmitted via the strip to said wire in the distal bendable zone, a proximal annular region of the tubular member is proximal to the proximal bendable zone, to which the proximal wires are rigidly attached, and a distal annular region of the tubular member is distal to the distal bendable zone to which the distal wires are rigidly attached.