Catheter handle and catheter equipped therewith

Abstract

A catheter handle (1) equipped with: a handle body (2); a shaft (3) that is disposed in a lumen of the handle body (2) and fixed to the handle body (2); a slider (4) that is disposed on the outside of the shaft (3), has a spirally extending first engaging part (11) on the outer surface, and is provided so as to be displaceable in the axial direction along the shaft (3); a rotary knob (5) that is provided so as to be capable of rotating relative to the handle body (2) and has a second engaging part (12), which engages with the first engaging part (11), on the inner surface; a linear member (7) having a first portion (7A), a second portion (7B), and a middle portion (7C) between the first and second portions, the first portion (7A) and the second portion (7B) being disposed in a lumen of a tube (22), and the middle portion (7C) being disposed in the lumen of the handle body (2); and a reversing guide (8) that is in contact with the middle portion (7C) of the linear member (7). The linear member (7) is fixed to the slider (4) on the first-portion (7A) side from the portion in contact with the reversing guide (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a handle used for a catheter and a catheter provided with the same.

Background Art

[0002] A catheter generally comprises a tube for insertion into a body cavity such as a blood vessel, a digestive tract, or a ureter, and a handle provided on the proximal side of the tube. There is known a catheter configured such that the distal end of the tube can be bent by operating the handle on the hand side. In such a catheter, a wire is disposed in the lumen of the tube, the distal end of the wire is fixed to the distal end of the tube, the proximal end of the wire is connected to the handle, and the distal end of the tube can be bent by operating the handle. For example, in a catheter in which two wires are disposed in the lumen of the tube, by operating the handle, the distal end of the tube can be bent to one side by pulling one of the two wires proximally, and the distal end of the tube can be bent to the other side by pulling the other wire.

[0003] As an example of such a catheter handle, Patent Document 1 discloses a catheter handle having two control wires whose tips are connected to the tip region of a catheter, comprising a housing, a sliding assembly disposed within the housing and configured to translate linearly within the housing, and a control knob rotatably mounted relative to the housing, wherein the proximal ends of the two control wires are disposed within the housing, and the sliding assembly is configured to operate each of the two control wires separately by translating the sliding assembly linearly, and by rotating the control knob in a first rotational direction, the sliding assembly is displaced toward the tip side, applying tension to one of the two control wires, thereby deflecting the catheter in a first deflection direction, and by rotating the control knob in a second rotational direction, the sliding assembly is displaced toward the proximal end side, applying tension to the other of the two control wires, thereby deflecting the catheter in a second deflection direction. Patent Document 2 discloses a catheter handle for deflecting the distal portion of a catheter, comprising a first rotating member having a first diameter and to which a first wire is connected, and a second rotating member having a second diameter smaller than the first diameter and to which a second wire is connected, wherein the second rotating member is connected to the first rotating member such that the center point of the second rotating member is offset from the center point of the first rotating member, and the first and second rotating members are configured such that the rotation of the first rotating member via the first wire rotates the second rotating member and the second wire, thereby deflecting the distal portion of the catheter. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2015-523892 [Patent Document 2] Special Publication No. 2018-515215 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0005] As described above, various catheter handles have been proposed in the past, and the object of the present invention is to provide a catheter handle with a novel structure and a catheter equipped therewith. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention includes the following catheter handle and catheter. [1] A catheter handle for manipulating a catheter tube, comprising: a handle body having an axially extending lumen; a shaft positioned within the lumen of the handle body, extending axially, and fixed to the handle body; a slider positioned outside the shaft, having a first spirally extending engagement portion on its outer surface, and provided to be axially displaceable along the shaft; a rotating knob provided to be rotatable about the axial direction relative to the handle body, and having a second engagement portion on its inner surface that engages with the first engagement portion of the slider; a linear member having a first end and a second end, comprising a first portion including the first end, a second portion including the second end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second portions, wherein the first and second portions are positioned within the lumen of the tube and the intermediate portion is positioned within the lumen of the handle body; and a reversal guide positioned within the lumen of the handle body, with at least a portion of the intermediate portion of the linear member in contact with it; the linear member being fixed to the slider at a portion of the linear member toward the first end from the portion of the linear member that contacts the reversal guide. [2] The catheter handle according to [1], wherein the intermediate portion of the linear member is made of a different material from the first and second portions. [3] The catheter handle described in [1] or [2], the middle section of which is made of rope. [4] A catheter handle according to any of [1] to [3], wherein the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion are one convex portion and the other grooved portion. [5] A catheter handle according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein a third engaging portion is provided on the outer surface of the slider, and a fourth engaging portion is provided on the inner surface of the handle body that engages with the third engaging portion, and at least one of the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion is formed to extend in the axial direction. [6] A catheter handle according to any one of [1] to [5], wherein a fifth engaging portion is provided on the inner surface of the slider, and a sixth engaging portion is provided on the outer surface of the shaft that engages with the fifth engaging portion, and at least one of the fifth engaging portion and the sixth engaging portion is formed to extend in the axial direction. A catheter having a catheter handle as described in any of [7][1] to [6] and a tube provided distal to the catheter handle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the catheter handle and catheter of the present invention, the tube provided on the distal side of the catheter handle can be operated by rotating the rotary knob. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the overall structure of a catheter equipped with a catheter handle. [Figure 2] This figure shows a plan view of the internal structure of the catheter handle provided on the catheter shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows the internal structure of the catheter handle, representing a plan view with a portion of the slider removed along the axial direction. [Figure 4] Figure 2 shows a plan view of the internal structure of the catheter handle, excluding the slider and shaft. [Figure 5] Figure 2 shows a VV cross-sectional view of the catheter handle. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The catheter handle and catheter equipped with the present invention will be described in detail below based on the embodiments described below. However, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described below, and it is certainly possible to implement the invention with appropriate modifications within the scope that is consistent with the spirit of the preceding and following descriptions, and all such modifications are included within the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, hatching and reference numerals for components may be omitted in the drawings for convenience, in which case the specification or other drawings should be referred to. Furthermore, the dimensions of various components in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions, as priority is given to helping to understand the features of the present invention.

[0010] Referring to Figure 1, the entire catheter equipped with a catheter handle will be described. The catheter 21 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a catheter handle 1 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "handle 1") and a tube 22 provided distal to the handle 1. The catheter 21 is used for treatment or examination by inserting the tube 22 into a body cavity such as a patient's blood vessel or digestive tract.

[0011] In this invention, the proximal side of the catheter refers to the direction toward the user's proximal side with respect to the catheter's extending direction, and the distal side refers to the opposite direction from the proximal side, i.e., the direction toward the treatment target.

[0012] Tube 22 has a flexible tubular structure and can be made of synthetic resins such as polyolefin resin (e.g., polyethylene or polypropylene), polyamide resin (e.g., nylon), polyester resin (e.g., PET), aromatic polyetherketone resin (e.g., PEEK), polyetherpolyamide resin, polyurethane resin, polyimide resin, or fluororesin (e.g., PTFE, PFA, ETFE), or metals such as stainless steel, carbon steel, or nickel-titanium alloy. The metal material can also be used as a metal wire embedded in the synthetic resin tube. The axial length (near-far direction) of tube 22 is several to tens of times longer than the length of handle 1 in the same direction, for example, about 500 mm to 1200 mm. The outer diameter of tube 22 can be, for example, about 0.6 mm to 5 mm.

[0013] The tube 22 has a lumen and may be a single-lumen structure with one lumen inside, or a multi-lumen structure with multiple lumen. The tube 22 may also have a coaxial structure with multiple coaxial lumen. A wire for manipulating the tube 22 is placed in the lumen of the tube 22. The wire is provided, for example, to control the bending of the distal end of the tube 22. In this case, it is preferable that the distal end of the wire is fixed to the distal end of the tube 22, for example, the distal 1 / 3 portion of the tube 22. The lumen of the tube 22 may contain a conductor, optical fiber, endoscope, etc., and may have a lumen for inserting a guidewire or another treatment instrument, or a lumen for circulating drugs, contrast agents, or any fluid.

[0014] Handle 1 is located on the proximal side of tube 22, and when assembled as a catheter, the proximal end of the wire placed inside the lumen of tube 22 is connected to handle 1.

[0015] For details of the catheter handle, refer to FIGS. 2 to 5. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the internal structure of the catheter handle provided on the catheter shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the internal structure of the catheter handle shown in FIG. 2, with a part of the slider cut along the axial direction. FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the internal structure of the catheter handle shown in FIG. 2, excluding the slider and the shaft. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of the catheter handle shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, a plan view of the catheter handle is shown, in which the handle body serving as the housing of the catheter handle and the rotary knob are cut along the axial direction so that the internal structure can be seen. In FIG. 5, the cut portion of the handle body in FIG. 2 is indicated by a dotted line.

[0016] The handle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a handle body 2 having a lumen extending in the axial direction x, a shaft 3 disposed in the lumen of the handle body 2, extending in the axial direction x, and fixed to the handle body 2, and a slider 4 disposed outside the shaft 3 in the lumen of the handle body 2, having a first engaging portion 11 extending in a spiral shape on the outer surface, and provided so as to be displaceable in the axial direction x along the shaft 3, and a rotary knob 5 provided rotatably about the axial direction x with respect to the handle body 2, having a second engaging portion 12 engaging with the first engaging portion 11 of the slider 4 on the inner surface. In the handle 1, the axial direction x corresponds to the direction in which the rotation axis of the rotary knob 5 extends, and the proximal side and the distal side are defined as one side and the other side with respect to the axial direction x. Further, the radial direction is defined as the direction orthogonal to the axial direction x.

[0017] The handle body 2 has a lumen extending in the axial direction x (see FIG. 4). The lumen of the handle body 2 preferably has a portion formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the axial direction x, and the rotary knob 5 is preferably disposed in the cylindrical portion of the lumen. The rotary knob 5 is provided rotatably about the axial direction x with respect to the handle body 2. The rotary knob 5 is preferably disposed in at least a part of the lumen of the handle body 2, and preferably only a part with respect to the axial direction x is disposed in the lumen of the handle body 2.

[0018] The rotary knob 5 preferably has a lumen extending in the axial direction x and forms the internal space of the handle 1 together with the lumen of the handle body 2. The lumen of the rotary knob 5 preferably has a portion formed in a cylindrical shape centered on the axial direction x. The lumen of the rotary knob 5 communicates with the lumen of the handle body 2 in the axial direction x, and the lumen of the rotary knob 5 and the lumen of the handle body 2 integrally form the internal space of the handle 1, and it is preferable that the shaft 3 and the slider 4 are arranged in the internal space.

[0019] At least one of the distal side and the proximal side of the handle body 2 is preferably formed to be open, and the rotary knob 5 is inserted from the distal side or the distal side of the handle body 2 formed to be open, and the rotary knob 5 is preferably arranged in the lumen of the handle body 2. On the other hand, the rotary knob 5 is preferably inserted into the handle body 2, and the proximal side or the distal side located in the lumen of the handle body 2 is preferably formed to be open. Thereby, the internal space of the handle 1 is integrally formed from the lumen of the handle body 2 and the lumen of the rotary knob 5. In the handle 1 shown in the drawing, the distal side of the handle body 2 is formed to be open, the proximal side of the rotary knob 5 is formed to be open, and the rotary knob 5 is inserted into the lumen of the handle body 2 from the distal side of the handle body 2. The handle 1 has the handle body 2 and the rotary knob 5 exposed on the outside. For example, by holding the handle body 2 with one hand and holding the rotary knob 5 with the other hand and rotating it with respect to the handle body 2, the handle 1 can be operated.

[0020] In the lumen of the handle body 2, the shaft 3 is arranged so as to extend in the axial direction x (see FIG. 3). The shaft 3 is fixed to the handle body 2 and is provided so as not to rotate or move with respect to the handle body 2. The shaft 3 may be integrally formed with the handle body 2. The shaft 3 is preferably arranged at a position that becomes the rotation axis of the rotary knob 5. The shaft 3 is preferably provided from the lumen of the handle body 2 to the lumen of the rotary knob 5, and may be provided so as to extend to the distal side and / or the proximal side of the handle body 2 and the rotary knob 5.

[0021] It is preferable that a tube 22 is connected to the distal end of the shaft 3. The connection between the shaft 3 and the tube 22 may be located within the internal space of the handle 1, distal to the internal space of the handle 1, or on the outside of the handle 1. The shaft 3 can also be formed integrally with the tube 22.

[0022] The shaft 3 may be formed in a solid or hollow shape. Preferably, the shaft 3 is hollow and its lumen communicates with the lumen of the tube 22. This allows for the delivery of treatment instruments to the treatment area from the proximal end of the catheter 21, or the injection of drugs or contrast agents, through the lumen of the shaft 3 and the lumen of the tube 22. Examples of treatment instruments include electrode catheters, ablation catheters, mapping catheters, balloon catheters, microcatheters, forceps, laser probes, fiberscopes, high-frequency treatment instruments, and electrohydraulic lithotripsy probes. To enable the insertion of such treatment instruments, it is preferable that the shaft 3 has a proximal opening on the outside of the handle 1. The shaft 3 may have a branching section, and a switching valve may be provided at the branching section of the shaft 3. This allows for, for example, the provision of separate ports for inserting treatment instruments and injecting drugs, etc.

[0023] A slider 4 is positioned on the outside of the shaft 3. The slider 4 is located in the internal space of the handle 1 and extends from the inner cavity of the handle body 2 to the inner cavity of the rotating knob 5 (see Figures 2 and 3). The slider 4 is positioned radially outward from the shaft 3, and therefore, it is preferable that the slider 4 has a through hole extending in the axial direction x and penetrating the slider 4 in the axial direction x, through which the shaft 3 is inserted.

[0024] The slider 4 is provided so as to be displaceable in the axial direction x along the shaft 3, that is, it is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction x within the internal space of the handle 1. Therefore, it is preferable that the length of the slider 4 in the axial direction x is shorter than the length of the shaft 3 in the axial direction x within the internal space of the handle 1, and also shorter than the length of the axial direction x within the internal space of the handle 1.

[0025] The slider 4 is designed to be displaced in the axial direction x by rotating the rotation knob 5 around the axial direction x. For this purpose, a first engaging portion 11 extending in a helical shape is formed on the outer surface of the slider 4, and a second engaging portion 12 that engages with the first engaging portion 11 is formed on the inner surface of the rotation knob 5.

[0026] The first engaging portion 11 is formed to extend in a helical manner on the outer surface of the slider 4, that is, on the radially outer surface of the slider 4. More specifically, the first engaging portion 11 is formed on the outer surface of the slider 4 so as to extend in a helical manner with the axial direction x of the handle 1 as the axis, and preferably on the outer surface of a cylindrical slider 4. The first engaging portion 11 may be formed continuously or intermittently. The first engaging portion 11 may be formed in a clockwise helical manner from the proximal side to the distal side, or in a counterclockwise helical manner.

[0027] The second engaging portion 12 is formed on the inner surface of the rotating knob 5, that is, on the radially inner surface of the rotating knob 5, so as to be engageable with the first engaging portion 11 (see Figures 3 and 4). The second engaging portion 12 is formed to extend spirally on the inner surface of the rotating knob 5, and more specifically, to extend spirally with the axial direction x of the handle 1 as the axis. Preferably, the second engaging portion 12 is formed on the inner surface of the cylindrically formed rotating knob 5. The second engaging portion 12 may be formed continuously or intermittently.

[0028] As described above, the first engaging portion 11 is formed on the outer surface of the slider 4 and the second engaging portion 12 is formed on the inner surface of the rotating knob 5. By rotating the rotating knob 5 around the axial direction x, the slider 4 can be moved axially x within the internal space of the handle 1. In other words, the spirally formed first engaging portion 11 and second engaging portion 12 can convert the rotational movement of the rotating knob 5 around the axial direction x into a parallel movement of the slider 4 around the axial direction x.

[0029] The first engaging portion 11 and the second engaging portion 12 may be formed to extend continuously or intermittently in a helical shape for one or more turns, or to extend for less than one turn. Preferably, at least one of the first engaging portion 11 and the second engaging portion 12 is formed to extend continuously or intermittently in a helical shape for one or more turns, more preferably for two or more turns, and even more preferably for three or more turns. On the other hand, the other of the first engaging portion 11 and the second engaging portion 12 may be formed to extend continuously or intermittently in a helical shape for less than one turn, for example, it may be provided to extend only half a turn in a helical shape. In the handle 1 shown in the drawing, the first engaging portion 11 provided on the slider 4 is formed to extend helically for one or more turns, and the second engaging portion 12 provided on the rotating knob 5 is formed to extend helically for less than one turn.

[0030] The first engaging portion 11 and the second engaging portion 12 can be formed by a combination of a protrusion and a groove. That is, it is preferable that one of the first engaging portion 11 and the second engaging portion 12 is a protrusion and the other is a groove. When the first engaging portion 11 or the second engaging portion 12 is formed as a groove, it is preferable that the groove is formed to extend continuously in a helical shape. The groove may be a bottomed groove or a through groove, but it is preferable that the groove be a bottomed groove in order to ensure the strength of the slider 4 or the rotating knob 5. On the other hand, when the first engaging portion 11 or the second engaging portion 12 is formed as a protrusion, the protrusion may be provided in a continuously extending helical shape or in an intermittently extending helical shape. In the drawing, the first engaging portion 11 provided on the slider 4 is formed as a protrusion (protrusion), and the second engaging portion 12 provided on the rotating knob 5 is formed as a groove.

[0031] A linear member 7 is provided in the internal space of the handle 1, which is bent at the proximal end and extends distally at both ends (see Figure 3). Both ends of the distally extending linear member 7 are positioned in the lumen of the tube 22. More specifically, the linear member 7 has a first end as one end and a second end as the other end, with the portion including the first end being defined as the first portion 7A, the portion including the second end being defined as the second portion 7B, and the portion between the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B being defined as the intermediate portion 7C. The first and second ends are defined as one end and the other end when the linear member 7 is extended straight. The linear member 7 is then bent at the intermediate portion 7C, and at least a part of the intermediate portion 7C including the bent portion is positioned in the lumen of the handle body 2, while at least a part of the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B are positioned in the lumen of the tube 22.

[0032] The linear member 7 has a first portion 7A and a second portion 7B that serve as wires for controlling the tube 22. Preferably, the distal end of the first portion 7A, i.e., the portion near the first end, and the distal end of the second portion 7B, i.e., the portion near the second end, are fixed to the distal end of the tube 22. In this case, by operating the handle 1 and pulling the first portion 7A proximal, the distal end of the tube 22 can be bent in one direction, and by pulling the second portion 7B proximal, the distal end of the tube 22 can be bent in the other direction. The distal end of the first portion 7A can be defined, for example, as a portion within 100 mm proximal to the first end of the first portion 7A, and the distal end of the second portion 7B can be defined, for example, as a portion within 100 mm proximal to the second end of the second portion 7B. The distal end of the tube 22 can be defined, for example, as a portion within 100 mm proximal to the distal end of the tube 22.

[0033] The linear member 7 extends outward from the lumen of the shaft 3 or tube 22 within the internal space of the handle 1, and it is preferable that the intermediate portion 7C of the linear member 7 extends from the lumen of the rotating knob 5 to the lumen of the handle body 2.

[0034] It is preferable that the linear member 7 is placed in the lumen of the slider 4, that is, in a through hole extending in the axial direction x. For example, it is preferable that a gap extending in the axial direction x (a gap that penetrates the slider 4 in the axial direction x) is formed between the inner surface of the through hole of the slider 4 and the shaft 3, and that the linear member 7 is placed in this gap.

[0035] The lumen of the handle body 2 is provided with a reversal guide 8 to guide the bending of the linear member 7 at its intermediate portion 7C, with at least a portion of the intermediate portion 7C of the linear member 7 in contact with the reversal guide 8. The reversal guide 8 is fixed to the handle body 2 and is designed not to rotate or move relative to the handle body 2. The reversal guide 8 may be formed integrally with the handle body 2.

[0036] The reversal guide 8 is preferably positioned to overlap with the slider 4 with respect to the axial direction x, or to be positioned proximal to the slider 4. More preferably, it is positioned proximal to the slider 4 when the slider 4 is in its most proximal position.

[0037] The reversal guide 8 is provided with a guide passage that causes the linear member 7 to make a U-turn distally, and the linear member 7 comes into contact with the guide passage. The guide passage is preferably formed in a U-shape or arc shape (for example, a semicircle) that is convex proximal when viewed in plan along the axial direction x. The guide passage is preferably formed as a tubular passage, and the intermediate portion 7C of the linear member 7 is preferably inserted into the lumen of the tubular passage.

[0038] The linear member 7 is displaceable in the axial direction x within the internal space of the handle 1, with the portion on the first end side (first portion 7A side) relative to the reversing guide 8 and the portion on the second end side (second portion 7B side) relative to the reversing guide 8 working in conjunction with each other. Since the portion on the first end side of the linear member 7 is connected to the portion on the second end side of the reversing guide 8 via the portion that abuts against the reversing guide 8, when the portion on the first end side of the linear member 7 is displaced proximally relative to the reversing guide 8, the portion on the second end side of the reversing guide 8 can be displaced distally relative to the reversing guide 8, and when the portion on the first end side of the reversing guide 8 is displaced distally relative to the reversing guide 8, the portion on the second end side of the reversing guide 8 can be displaced proximally relative to the reversing guide 8.

[0039] The first part 7A and the second part 7B may be entirely located in the tube 22, or only a portion of them may be located in the tube 22. The intermediate part 7C may be entirely located in the internal space of the handle 1, or only a portion of it may be located in the internal space of the handle 1. In Figure 3, the intermediate part 7C is connected to the first part 7A and the second part 7B in the internal space of the handle 1 by a connecting part 10. In this way, it is preferable that the first part 7A and the second part 7B extend from the tube 22 to the internal space of the handle 1, specifically to the lumen of the rotating knob 5, and regardless of the axial displacement x of the linear member 7, it is preferable that a portion of the first part 7A and the second part 7B is located in the lumen of the rotating knob 5. The first part 7A and the second part 7B may also extend into the lumen of the handle body 2. It is preferable that the intermediate part 7C includes all of the portion of the linear member 7 that contacts the reversal guide 8 due to the axial displacement x of the linear member 7. In other words, it is preferable that the intermediate part 7C of the linear member 7 contacts the reversal guide 8. Furthermore, it is preferable that a portion of the intermediate portion 7C is located within the lumen of the rotating knob 5, regardless of the axial displacement x of the linear member 7.

[0040] The linear member 7 is fixed to the slider 4 at the portion of the linear member 7 that contacts the reversal guide 8, on the first end side. In Figure 3, the linear member 7 is fixed to the slider 4 by a fixing device 9 provided on the slider 4. As a result, when the rotation knob 5 is rotated around the axial direction x, the slider 4 is displaced in the axial direction x, and accordingly, the portion of the linear member 7 on the first end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced in the axial direction x, and the portion of the linear member 7 on the second end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced in the opposite axial direction x. Specifically, when the slider 4 is displaced proximally, the portion of the linear member 7 on the first end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced proximally, and the portion of the linear member 7 on the second end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced distally. When the slider 4 is displaced distally, the portion of the linear member 7 on the first end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced distally, and the portion of the linear member 7 on the second end side of the reversal guide 8 is displaced proximally. This allows the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B of the linear member 7 positioned in the lumen of the tube 22 to be pulled proximally or pushed distally, for example, to control the bending of the distal end of the tube 22. For example, by rotating the rotary knob 5 clockwise when viewed from the hand side, the distal end of the tube 22 can be bent in one direction, and by rotating the rotary knob 5 counterclockwise when viewed from the hand side, the distal end of the tube 22 can be bent in the other direction.

[0041] The linear member 7 is preferably fixed to the inner surface of the slider 4. In Figure 3, a fastener 9 for the linear member 7 is installed on the inner surface of the slider 4, and the linear member 7 is fixed to this fastener 9. However, the linear member 7 may also be directly fixed to the inner surface of the slider 4 with an adhesive or the like. If the linear member 7 is directly fixed to the inner surface of the slider 4, the fastener 9 may not be necessary. Methods for fixing the linear member 7 to the fastener 9 or the inner surface of the slider 4 include bonding with adhesive, welding, fitting, crimping, screwing, etc.

[0042] The fixing portion of the linear member 7 to the slider 4 is preferably located proximal to the point where the linear member 7 extends outward from the lumen of the shaft 3 or tube 22 when the slider 4 is in its most distal position. In other words, when the slider 4 is in its most distal position, the linear member 7 is preferably located distal to the fixing portion to the slider 4 and extends outward from the lumen of the shaft 3 or tube 22.

[0043] The linear member 7 is fixed to the slider 4 at a first end beyond the contact point with the reversing guide 8 when the slider 4 is in its most proximal position. By fixing the linear member 7 to the slider 4 in this way, the linear member 7 is fixed to the slider 4 at a first end beyond the contact point with the reversing guide 8 regardless of the axial displacement x of the slider 4. On the other hand, it is preferable that the linear member 7 is not fixed to the slider 4 at a second end beyond the contact point with the reversing guide 8. More specifically, it is preferable that the linear member 7 is not fixed to the slider 4 at a second end beyond the contact point with the reversing guide 8 when the slider 4 is in its most proximal position.

[0044] As the linear member 7, metal wires such as stainless steel, carbon steel, and nickel-titanium alloy can be used, or resin wires (i.e., fibrous materials) formed from synthetic resins such as polyamide resin (e.g., nylon), polyolefin resin (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene), polyester resin (e.g., PET), aromatic polyetherketone resin (e.g., PEEK), polyimide resin, aromatic polyamide resin (e.g., aramid), and fluororesin (e.g., PTFE, PFA, FEP, ETFE) can be used. These metal wires and resin wires may have a monofilament structure or a multifilament structure. The linear member 7 may be covered with a cylindrical body formed from a coiled metal or synthetic resin. The diameter of the linear member 7 can be, for example, about 100 μm to 1500 μm.

[0045] The first portion 7A, the second portion 7B, and the intermediate portion 7C of the linear member 7 may be made of the same material or different materials. It is preferable that the intermediate portion 7C is made of a different material than the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B. It is preferable that the intermediate portion 7C be made of a material that is easily bendable so that it can be bent with a relatively small bending radius by the reversal guide 8. On the other hand, the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B are positioned in the lumen of the tube 22, and it is required that the axial x movement of the linear member 7 at the handle 1 be suitably transmitted to the distal end of the tube 22 via the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B. Therefore, it is preferable that they be made of a material with relatively high rigidity, and less flexibility is required than that of the intermediate portion 7C. Accordingly, it is preferable that the intermediate portion 7C has lower bending rigidity than the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B. Furthermore, it is preferable that the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B have higher axial rigidity than the intermediate portion 7C. For example, it is preferable that the intermediate portion 7C is made of resin wire, and the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B are made of metal wire.

[0046] If the intermediate portion 7C is made of a different material from the first portion 7A and the second portion 7B, the joining of the intermediate portion 7C to the first portion 7A and the joining of the intermediate portion 7C to the second portion 7B in the connecting portion 10 can be done by bonding, welding, crimping, etc.

[0047] The intermediate section 7C is preferably made of rope. This ensures the strength of the intermediate section 7C while facilitating smooth bending of the intermediate section 7C by the reversal guide 8. The rope may be a fiber rope made of fibrous material or a wire rope made of metal material, but a fiber rope is preferred. This makes it easier for the intermediate section 7C to bend smoothly. The fiber rope is preferably made of a high-strength fibrous material to prevent breakage, and is preferably made of so-called super fibers. Examples of super fibers include aramid fibers, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, polyarylate fibers, ultra-high strength polyvinyl alcohol fibers, poly(p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers, and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fibers. The super fiber is preferably, for example, tensile strength of 1 GPa or more, preferably 2 GPa or more, and elastic modulus of 25 GPa or more, preferably 50 GPa or more.

[0048] Preferably, the handle 1 has a third engaging portion 13 on the outer surface of the slider 4 to prevent the slider 4 from rotating together with the rotating knob 5 when the rotating knob 5 is rotated around the axial direction x, and a fourth engaging portion 14 that engages with the third engaging portion 13 is provided on the inner surface of the handle body 2, and at least one of the third engaging portion 13 and the fourth engaging portion 14 is formed to extend in the axial direction x. This allows the slider 4 to be displaced along the axial direction x without the slider 4 rotating around the axial direction x.

[0049] The third engaging portion 13 and the fourth engaging portion 14 can be formed by a combination of a convex portion and a groove. That is, it is preferable that one of the third engaging portion 13 and the fourth engaging portion 14 is a convex portion and the other is a groove. In the handle 1 shown in the drawing, the third engaging portion 13 provided on the outer surface of the slider 4 is formed as a convex portion, and the fourth engaging portion 14 provided on the inner surface of the handle body 2 is formed as a groove.

[0050] The third engaging portion 13 or the fourth engaging portion 14, which is formed as a groove, is preferably formed to extend in the axial direction x, and more preferably to extend continuously in the axial direction x. The groove may be a bottomed groove or a through groove, but from the viewpoint of ensuring the strength of the slider 4 or the handle body 2, the groove is preferably a bottomed groove. On the other hand, the third engaging portion 13 or the fourth engaging portion 14, which is formed as a protrusion, may or may not be formed to extend in the axial direction x.

[0051] As shown in the drawing, when the third engaging portion 13 is formed as a convex portion and the fourth engaging portion 14 is formed as a groove, it is preferable that the convex portion formed as the third engaging portion 13 on the outer surface of the slider 4 is positioned proximal to the first engaging portion 11 on the slider 4. It is preferable that at least a portion of the groove formed as the fourth engaging portion 14 on the inner surface of the handle body 2 is positioned distal to the reversing guide 8.

[0052] Although not shown in the drawings, if a groove is formed on the outer surface of the slider 4 as a third engaging portion 13, the groove may be formed on the slider 4 at a position that overlaps with the first engaging portion 11 in the axial direction x, or it may be formed proximal to the first engaging portion 11. In this case, it is preferable that at least a portion of the protrusion formed on the inner surface of the handle body 2 as a fourth engaging portion 14 is positioned distal to the reversing guide 8.

[0053] To prevent the slider 4 from rotating together with the rotary knob 5 when the rotary knob 5 is rotated around the axial direction x, as shown in Figure 5, a fifth engaging portion 15 is provided on the inner surface of the slider 4, and a sixth engaging portion 16 that engages with the fifth engaging portion 15 is provided on the outer surface of the shaft 3, and at least one of the fifth engaging portion 15 and the sixth engaging portion 16 may be formed to extend in the axial direction x. Even with the fifth engaging portion 15 and the sixth engaging portion 16 provided in this way, the slider 4 can be displaced along the axial direction x without rotating around the axial direction x.

[0054] The fifth engaging portion 15 and the sixth engaging portion 16 can be formed by a combination of a convex portion and a groove. That is, it is preferable that one of the fifth engaging portion 15 and the sixth engaging portion 16 is a convex portion and the other is a groove. In Figure 5, the fifth engaging portion 15 provided on the inner surface of the slider 4 is formed as a groove, and the sixth engaging portion 16 provided on the outer surface of the shaft 3 is formed as a convex portion.

[0055] The fifth engaging portion 15 or the sixth engaging portion 16, which is formed as a groove, is preferably formed to extend in the axial direction x, and more preferably to extend continuously in the axial direction x. The groove may be a bottomed groove or a through groove, but from the viewpoint of ensuring the strength of the slider 4 or shaft 3, the groove is preferably a bottomed groove. On the other hand, the fifth engaging portion 15 or the sixth engaging portion 16, which is formed as a convex portion, may or may not be formed to extend in the axial direction x.

[0056] As shown in Figure 5, when the fifth engaging portion 15 is formed as a groove and the sixth engaging portion 16 is formed as a protrusion, the groove formed as the fifth engaging portion 15 on the inner surface of the slider 4 may be formed in a position that overlaps with the first engaging portion 11 in the axial direction x, or it may be formed proximal or distal to the first engaging portion 11. It is preferable that at least a portion of the protrusion formed as the sixth engaging portion 16 on the outer surface of the shaft 3 is positioned distal to the reversing guide 8.

[0057] Although not shown in the drawings, if a protrusion is formed on the inner surface of the slider 4 as a fifth engaging portion 15, the protrusion may be positioned on the slider 4 in a position that overlaps with the first engaging portion 11 in the axial direction x, or it may be positioned proximal or distal to the first engaging portion 11. In this case, it is preferable that at least a portion of the groove formed on the outer surface of the shaft 3 as a sixth engaging portion 16 is positioned distal to the reversing guide 8.

[0058] If the handle 1 is provided with a third engaging portion 13 and a fourth engaging portion 14, the fifth engaging portion 15 and the sixth engaging portion 16 may not be provided. Conversely, if the handle 1 is provided with a fifth engaging portion 15 and a sixth engaging portion 16, the third engaging portion 13 and the fourth engaging portion 14 may not be provided. In either case, when the rotary knob 5 is rotated around the axial direction x, the slider 4 can be displaced along the axial direction x without the slider 4 rotating around the axial direction x. Of course, the handle 1 may be provided with a third engaging portion 13 and a fourth engaging portion 14, and further provided with a fifth engaging portion 15 and a sixth engaging portion 16.

[0059] Although the catheter handle of the present invention has been described above, the catheter handle of the present invention is not limited to controlling the bending of the distal end of the tube, as long as it displaces the first and second parts of the linear member distally or proximal within the lumen of the tube. For example, the catheter handle may allow the first and / or second parts of the linear member to be moved in and out of the distal end of the tube by operating it. Alternatively, a treatment instrument such as a knife or snare may be attached to the distal end of the first or second part of the linear member, and the treatment instrument attached to the distal end of the first or second part may be moved in and out of the distal end of the tube by operating it.

[0060] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-201977, filed on 13 December 2021. The entire specification of Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-201977, filed on 13 December 2021, is incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1: Catheter handle 2: Handle body 3: Shaft 4: Slider 5: Rotary knob 7: Linear member, 7A: First part, 7B: Second part, 7C: Intermediate part 8: Reversal Guide 9: Fixtures 10:Connection part 11: First engaging part 12: Second engaging part 13: Third engaging part 14: Fourth engagement part 15: Fifth engagement part 16: Sixth engaging part 21: Catheter 22: Tube

Claims

1. A handle for manipulating the catheter tube, A handle body having an internal cavity extending in the axial direction, A shaft is positioned inside the cavity of the handle body, extends in the axial direction, and is fixed to the handle body. A slider is provided that is positioned on the outside of the shaft, has a first engaging portion extending in a spiral shape on its outer surface, and is displaceable along the shaft in the axial direction, A rotating knob is provided on the handle body so as to be rotatable about the axial direction, and has a second engaging portion on its inner surface that engages with the first engaging portion of the slider, A linear member having a first end and a second end, comprising a first portion including the first end, a second portion including the second end, and an intermediate portion between the first and second portions, wherein the first and second portions are arranged in the lumen of the tube and the intermediate portion is arranged in the lumen of the handle body, The handle body is disposed within the cavity of the handle body and comprises a reversing guide in which at least a portion of the intermediate part of the linear member abuts, The linear member is fixed to the slider at the portion of the linear member that contacts the reversal guide, on the first end side. In the aforementioned linear member, the first and second portions are made of metal wire, and the intermediate portion is made of resin wire, wherein the intermediate portion has less bending rigidity than the first and second portions.

2. The catheter handle according to claim 1, wherein the aforementioned intermediate portion is made of rope.

3. The catheter handle according to claim 1, wherein one of the first engaging portion and the second engaging portion is a convex portion and the other is a groove.

4. A catheter handle according to claim 1, wherein a third engaging portion is provided on the outer surface of the slider, a fourth engaging portion is provided on the inner surface of the handle body that engages with the third engaging portion, and at least one of the third engaging portion and the fourth engaging portion is formed to extend in the axial direction.

5. A catheter handle according to claim 1, wherein a fifth engaging portion is provided on the inner surface of the slider, a sixth engaging portion is provided on the outer surface of the shaft that engages with the fifth engaging portion, and at least one of the fifth engaging portion and the sixth engaging portion is formed to extend in the axial direction.

6. A catheter handle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, A catheter having a tube provided on the distal side of the catheter handle.

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