Patent ID: 7682358

Claim:
A steerable catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body including a proximal end, a distal segment and a deflection lumen extending from the proximal end toward the distal segment; a handle coupled to the catheter body proximal end and including a longitudinal axis; and a deflection mechanism for selectively inducing a bend in the catheter body; the deflection mechanism comprising: an elongated deflection wire extending within the deflection lumen of the catheter body and into the handle; a guide track formed within the handle in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis; a thumb wheel mounted proximal to the guide track within the handle and supporting a pinion gear, the thumb wheel and pinion gear adapted to be rotated about a common thumb wheel axis, which extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; and a rack arm including runners received by the guide track, an attachment point coupling the deflection wire to the rack arm and a linear rack engaging the pinion gear; the rack arm extending within the handle, obliquely to the longitudinal axis, from the runners to the linear rack, the attachment point being movable along a linear path that is substantially aligned with the deflection lumen; wherein rotation of the thumb wheel in a first direction moves the linear rack proximally, via the engagement of the linear rack with the pinion gear, to draw the deflection wire proximally through the deflection lumen and along the guide track inducing a first bend of the catheter body.