Patent ID: 8852223

Claim:
A steerable dilatation catheter having an elongated axis and a closed distal end portion, the catheter comprising: an outer flexible tubular member having an expandable member near the distal end thereof; an inner flexible tubular member disposed within the outer flexible tubular member, said inner flexible tubular member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a lumen disposed therein, the distal end portion of the inner flexible tubular member operatively engaging the closed distal end portion of the catheter; the inner flexible tubular member further includes a shaft that has a distal end portion located proximal of the closed distal end portion of the catheter; said distal end portion of the inner flexible tubular member extends distally beyond the distal end of the outer flexible tubular member, and said distal end of the outer flexible tubular member is secured to the inner flexible tubular member; an elongated deflection member slidably disposed within the lumen of the inner flexible tubular member, said deflection member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the deflection member being operatively connected to the closed distal end portion of the catheter; a retaining member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the distal end portion of the retaining member is operatively connected to the closed distal end portion of the catheter, and the proximal end portion of the retaining member includes a free end that is the proximal end of the retaining member, said retaining member terminates at said proximal free end, said retaining member being slidably movable within the lumen of the inner flexible tubular member and releasably engageable with the shaft distal end portion when the elongated deflection member moves proximally; movement of the elongated deflection member distally causes the distal end portion of the inner tubular member to elongate in a substantially axial direction generally along the axis of the catheter; and movement of the elongated deflection member proximally results in the proximal free end of the retaining member releasably engaging the shaft distal end portion of the inner tubular member causing the distal end portion of the inner tubular member and the closed distal end portion of the catheter to deflect from the axis of the catheter.