Patent ID: 7896862
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A method for using a medical instrument including a flexible catheter having a distal end, including a medical guidewire, and including a mechanized guidewire drive assembly adapted for operable engagement with the medical guidewire to extend the medical guidewire beyond the distal end of the catheter, wherein the mechanized guidewire drive assembly includes a motor and includes a controller which drives the motor with a driving force, wherein the motor is a DC (direct current) rotary motor which produces a torque in response to the driving force of the controller, wherein the driving force is an electric current, wherein the torque is related to the electric current, and wherein the method includes a) performing a medical procedure on at least one test patient using the medical instrument with the distal end inserted into a body lumen of the at-least-one test patient and using the controller to extend the medical guidewire beyond the distal end of the catheter without a medical-determined electric current upper limit of the controller; b) during step a), measuring the torque of the DC motor and a comfort level of the at-least-one test patient for different values of the torque of the DC motor; c) selecting the medical-determined electric current upper limit of the controller from at least the measurements of the torque of the DC motor and the comfort level of the at-least-one test patient; and d) performing the medical procedure on a non-test patient using the medical instrument with the controller limited to the medical-determined electric current upper limit.