Medical devices and methods of use

Abstract

Ultrasound imaging tools are configured with rotation and deflection control. Methods of controlling an ultrasound imaging transducer may include advancing a distal end region of a catheter assembly to an anatomical region of interest, the catheter assembly may include a rotatable shaft carrying an ultrasound imaging transducer; and a deflectable shaft. Actuating a first actuator of a handle assembly may cause rotational movement of the rotatable shaft relative to the deflectable shaft, which thereby causes rotational movement of the ultrasound imaging transducer; and actuating a second actuator of the handle assembly to cause deflection of the deflectable shaft, where the handle assembly includes a handle body with an outer surface that can be gripped by a user, and where the first actuator and the second actuator are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the handle body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound imaging tool configured with rotation and deflection control, the tool comprising:
 an ultrasound probe disposed adjacent a distal region of a rotatable shaft, the ultrasound probe comprising an ultrasound transducer and flexible circuit strip in electrical communication with the ultrasound transducer, the flexible circuit strip further comprising an insulating substrate, a plurality of conductive traces disposed on and extending along the insulating substrate, a portion of one or more of the plurality of conductive traces covered by an insulation member;   a deflectable shaft disposed relative to the rotatable shaft such that deflection of the deflectable shaft causes deflection of at least a portion of the rotatable shaft; and   a handle assembly comprising a handle body with an outer surface that can be gripped by a user, a first actuator configured to be moved relative to the handle body, and a second actuator configured to be moved relative to the handle body,
 wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the handle body, 
 wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with the first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes rotational movement of at least a portion of the rotatable shaft relative to the deflectable shaft, and 
 wherein the deflectable shaft is in operable communication with the second actuator such that rotation of the second actuator causes deflection of the deflectable shaft and thereby deflection of the rotatable shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the deflectable shaft comprises a distal deflectable region that is in operable communication with at least one pull wire, wherein the first actuator is in operable communication with the pull wire such that actuation of the second actuator relative to the handle body causes deflection of the distal deflectable region. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with the handle assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with each other. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is disposed relative to the handle assembly such that rotational movement of the first actuator is in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the second actuator is disposed relative to the handle assembly such that rotational movement of the second actuator is in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with a first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes rotational movement of at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer relative to a distal end of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with a first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes displacement of a field of view of the ultrasound transducer relative to a distal end of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the first actuator is proximal to the second actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an elongate electrical connector that is in electrical connection with the ultrasound transducer, the elongate electrical connector extending axially within the deflectable shaft and the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 10 , where the elongate electrical connector is part of a flexible electrical bundle in electrical communication with the ultrasound transducer, the flexible electrical bundle extending axially within the deflectable shaft and the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are co-axial. 
     
     
         13 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein first actuator and the second actuator are co-axial with each other about the longitudinal axis of the handle body. 
     
     
         14 . An ultrasound imaging tool configured with rotation and deflection control, the tool comprising:
 an ultrasound transducer disposed adjacent a distal region of a rotatable shaft;   a deflectable shaft disposed relative to the rotatable shaft such that deflection of the deflectable shaft causes deflection of at least a portion of the rotatable shaft; and   a handle assembly comprising:
 a handle body having a distal end and a proximal end with an outer surface defined between the distal end and the proximal end that can be gripped by a user, 
 a first actuator disposed between the distal end and the proximal end of the handle body and configured to be moved relative to the handle body, and 
 a second actuator disposed between the distal end and the proximal end of the handle body and configured to be moved relative to the handle body, 
 wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are coaxially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the handle body, 
 wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with the first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes rotational movement of at least a portion of the rotatable shaft relative to the deflectable shaft, and 
 wherein the deflectable shaft is in operable communication with the second actuator such that rotation of the second actuator causes deflection of the deflectable shaft and thereby deflection of the rotatable shaft. 
   
     
     
         15 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the deflectable shaft comprises a distal deflectable region that is in operable communication with at least one pull wire, wherein the first actuator is in operable communication with the pull wire such that actuation of the second actuator relative to the handle body causes deflection of the distal deflectable region. 
     
     
         16 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with the handle assembly. 
     
     
         17 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with each other. 
     
     
         18 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first actuator is disposed relative to the handle assembly such that rotational movement of the first actuator is in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the second actuator is disposed relative to the handle assembly such that rotational movement of the second actuator is in a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal axis of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with a first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes rotational movement of at least a portion of the ultrasound transducer relative to a distal end of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         21 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in operable communication with a first actuator of the handle assembly such that actuation of the first actuator causes displacement of a field of view of the ultrasound transducer relative to a distal end of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         22 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the first actuator is proximal to the second actuator. 
     
     
         23 . The tool of  claim 14 , further comprising an elongate electrical connector that is in electrical connection with the ultrasound transducer, the elongate electrical connector extending axially within the deflectable shaft and the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         24 . The tool of  claim 23 , where the elongate electrical connector is part of a flexible electrical bundle in electrical communication with the ultrasound transducer, the flexible electrical bundle extending axially within the deflectable shaft and the rotatable shaft. 
     
     
         25 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are co-axial. 
     
     
         26 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator are circumferentially disposed about a respective portion of the handle body. 
     
     
         27 . The tool of  claim 14 , wherein first actuator and the second actuator are circumferentially aligned with at least a portion of the outer surface of the handle body. 
     
     
         28 . A method of controlling an ultrasound imaging transducer, the method comprising:
 advancing a distal end region of a catheter assembly to an anatomical region of interest, the catheter assembly comprising a) a rotatable shaft carrying an ultrasound imaging transducer, and b) a deflectable shaft;   actuating a first actuator of a handle assembly to cause rotational movement of the rotatable shaft relative to the deflectable shaft, which thereby causes rotational movement of the ultrasound imaging transducer; and   actuating a second actuator of the handle assembly to cause deflection of the deflectable shaft,   wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle body with an outer surface that can be gripped by a user, and   wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are circumferentially disposed about a longitudinal axis of the handle body.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein actuating the second actuator causes deflection of a distal section of the deflectable shaft. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein actuating the second actuator causes deflection of a portion of the rotatable shaft carrying the ultrasound imaging transducer. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with the handle assembly. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the rotatable shaft and the deflectable shaft are in independent operable communication with each other. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein actuating the first actuator of the handle assembly and actuating the second actuator of the handle assembly are capable of being executed independent of each other.