Patent ID: 8016784

Claim:
A deflectable catheter assembly comprising: a catheter shaft having a catheter proximal section and a catheter distal section; a therapeutic tool disposed within said catheter shaft; a compression and extension compensation mechanism coupling to said therapeutic tool to compensate for a length change in said catheter shaft, said compression and extension compensation mechanism including a spring moveably disposed between but not extending beyond a distal stop and a proximal stop, the spring fixedly attached to the distal stop and to the proximal stop to compensate for a compression in length of the catheter shaft by applying a force on the distal stop in the proximal direction, the distal stop and proximal stop being attached to said therapeutic tool; a deployment slide moveably disposed proximate to and attached to said spring, said deployment slide between said distal stop and said proximal stop, said deployment slide to deploy said therapeutic tool; and a catheter handle coupled to said catheter shaft, said catheter handle to house said compression and extension compensation mechanism.