Patent ID: 6979312

Claim:
A steerable sheath catheter having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the catheter comprises an inner liner defining a central lumen, a pull wire, a wire braid surrounding the inner liner, an outer jacket surrounding the wire braid, and a control handle, the improvement comprising: a mechanism that displaces the pull wire longitudinally relative to the catheter, wherein the mechanism is operably connected to the control handle and further comprises: a slide attached to the pull wire; and a control lever having a lower portion, an upper portion, and a pin between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the lower portion is operably intermeshed with the slide, and wherein the pin is pivotally connected to a socket, whereby actuation of the upper portion causes deflection of the pull wire; extending the pull wire from the distal end to an opening in the outer jacket between the distal end and the proximal end, wherein the pull wire exits the outer jacket at the opening and is operably connected to the mechanism that displaces the pullwire; and wherein the central lumen extends continuously and linearly through the mechanism that displaces the pullwire.