Ozgur Kocaturk1, Jamie A. Bell1,
Christina E. Saikus1, Vincent Wu1, Merdim Sonmez1,
Kanishka Ratnayaka1,2, Robert J. Lederman1
1Translational Medicine Branch, Division
of Intramural Research, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National
Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; 2Cardiology
Division , Children's National Medical Center, Washington DC , United States
The
mechanical characteristics of most commercially available catheter devices
are provided by metallic components such as metal braiding or pulling wires
in deflectable devices which make them unsuitable for the MR
environment. We have developed a
deflectable catheter that utilizes Kevlar fiber instead to produce the same
shaft support and torquability with a braided tubing and tension mechanism
for tip deflection. This device could
enable a wide range of MRI-guided cardiovascular interventions in difficult
to reach anatomies.