Patent ID: 7416534

Claim:
A medical device, comprising: an elongate shaft including: a proximal shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end, a distal shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end, an actuating shaft portion having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end of the actuating shaft portion is attached to the proximal end of the distal shaft portion and wherein the proximal end of the actuating shaft portion is attached to the distal end of the proximal shaft portion, and wherein the actuating shaft portion includes a shape memory material and is configured to shift from a first configuration to a second configuration; an actuating member free of a shape memory material disposed on the shaft adjacent the actuating shaft portion, the actuating member being configured to bias the actuating shaft portion into the first or second configuration; and one or more electrically conductive leads attached to the actuating shaft portion, the one or more leads being configured to selectively activate a region of the actuating shaft portion.