The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 05, 1992
Filed:
Apr. 10, 1990
George Cho, Sudbury, MA (US);
Candela Laser Corporation, Wayland, MA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for navigation of body cavities is comprised of an inner element and an outer element that surrounds the inner element. The inner element has a memorized preformed shape that it assumes when it is not disposed within the outer element. When in the outer element, the inner element is straightened by the rigidity of the outer element. The preformed shape of the inner element is adjustable. This preformed shape may be exploited to navigate branches and curves in the body cavities. The inner element may be a catheter or laser fiber, and the outer element may be a catheter or sheath. When the inner element is a catheter, the catheter may contain a shape retaining element such as a spring wire that enables it to memorize the preformed shape.