St. Jude Medical International Holding S.a.r.l.

Medlumics S.l.

Other

Nestec S.a.

St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc.

Inspiremd, Ltd.

Endosense Sa

St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l.

St. Jude Medical Luxembourg Holdings S.à.r.l.

Alexandre Romoscanu

Matthieu Duperron

Sara Mas Gómez

Carlos Sanz Moreno

Jorge Jimenez

Juan Sancho Durá

David Gonzalez

Timothy J Wood

Raffaele Mezzenga

David Herranz Aragoncillo

Varun Bansal

Michael S Bowers

Itshak Cohen

Shmuel Vered

Juan Rigla

Ryan Vincent Tien Sing Young

Juan Sancho Dúra

Jorge H Jiménez

David González Villar

Sara Mas GÓMEZ

David González

Described herein are systems and methods for performing optical signal analysis and lesion predictions in ablations. A system includes a catheter coupled to a plurality of optical fibers via a connector that interfaces with a computing device. The computing device includes a memory and a processor configured to receive optical measurement data of a portion of tissue from the catheter. The processor identifies one or more optical properties of the portion of tissue by analyzing the optical measurement data and determines a time of denaturation of the portion of tissue based on the one or more optical properties. A model is created to represent a correlation between lesion depths and ablation times using the time of denaturation, the one or more optical properties, and the predetermined period of time. A predicted lesion depth for a predetermined ablation time is generated using the model.

Systems and methods for optical analysis and lesion prediction using ablation catheters

A catheter includes proximal and distal sections, a shaft coupled between the proximal and distal sections, and optical fibers extending through the shaft and to the distal section of the catheter. The distal section includes a support structure that includes a proximal end, a distal end, reflective elements, and a cap disposed over a portion of the distal end of the support structure. The proximal end includes alignment receptacles. Each of the optical fibers is inserted into corresponding ones of the alignment receptacles and the alignment receptacles are shaped to maintain the optical fibers straight in the support structure. The distal end includes orifices facing different directions. Each of the optical fibers is optically aligned with corresponding ones of the lenses, reflective elements, and orifices such that the optical fibers in the support structure are straight. The cap includes optical ports aligned with the orifices.

Methods, devices, and support structures for assembling optical fibers in catheter tips

Described herein are methods, devices, and support structures for assembling optical fibers in catheter tips and facilitating alignment and structural support. A method for assembling a plurality of optical fibers and lenses in a support structure for an ablation catheter includes providing a support structure with a proximal end, a body, and a distal end, the distal end including a plurality of alignment orifices or slits. A plurality of optical fibers are threaded through the alignment orifices or slits, such that each optical fiber is threaded through a corresponding alignment orifice or slit. An adhesive material is applied at each alignment orifice or slit to secure the optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are then cleaved at the distal end to remove portions of the fibers extending out of the distal end. Finally, a lens is attached to each of the ends of the plurality of optical fibers.

A uni-directional, plunger-type electrophysiology catheter handle is designed to reduce the input force a user must apply to deflect the distal end of the catheter. A force amplifier is operatively coupled to a deflection actuator of the handle. The force amplifier can be a pulley or a system of gears. The force amplifier can increase the output force of deflection actuator by the same factor as that by which the user input force is reduced. A variable-friction autolocking system can also be used to reduce the input force a user must apply during initial deflection as compared to later deflection of the catheter.

Reduced actuation force electrophysiology catheter handle

An apparatus for retracting a sheath from over an expandable medical device includes a shell, configured to couple to a longitudinal element, a carriage disposed within the shell and configured to couple to the sheath, and a lever protruding from the shell. The lever is configured to retract the sheath while a distal end of the longitudinal element contacts the expandable medical device, by rotating proximally so as to move the carriage proximally by a first distance, and, subsequently to rotating proximally, sliding proximally so as to move the carriage proximally by a second distance. Other embodiments are also described.

Handle for two-stage deployment of a stent

A control handle for a steerable catheter body for navigation of the catheter body through a biological lumen and manipulation at a treatment site. The control handle includes a housing assembly that houses a piston assembly and a resistance adjusting assembly. The resistance adjusting assembly can be adjusted to provide the desired frictional characteristics of the user for control of the resistance between the piston assembly and the housing assembly. In one embodiment, the piston assembly is configured to provide a frictional resistance that varies dynamically to substantially match the restorative force across the range of catheter tip deflection. Other embodiments include a vibrating member that provides tactile feedback to the operator to indicate conditions at the distal end of the catheter, such as contact force.

Control handle for a contact force ablation catheter

Described herein are methods, devices, and support structures for assembling optical fibers in catheter tips and facilitating alignment and structural support. A method for assembling a plurality of optical fibers and lenses in a support structure for an ablation catheter includes providing a support structure with a proximal end, a body, and a distal end, wherein the distal end includes a plurality of alignment orifices or slits. A plurality of optical fibers are threaded through the alignment orifices or slits, such that each optical fiber is threaded through a corresponding alignment orifice or slit. An adhesive material is applied at each alignment orifice or slit to secure the optical fibers, and the plurality of optical fibers are then cleaved at the distal end to remove portions of the fibers extending out of the distal end. Finally, a lens is attached to each of the ends of the plurality of optical fibers.

A steering handle for a catheter. The steering handle includes a thumb knob arrangement for driving a cam assembly that in turn actuates a pull wire or pull wires. In some embodiments, the cam assembly includes a set of dual pins that actuate the pull wire in a quasi-linear relationship between cam rotation and axial displacement of the wire. In certain embodiments, the second set of dual pins imparts a reverse action on a second pull wire, also in quasi-linear fashion. That is, when one wire is released by the cam assembly, the other wire is taken in by the cam assembly. In various embodiments, the quasi-linear action can cause release of more pull wire than is taken in, thereby helping prevent the released pull wire to act as an unwanted counter force to the actuated pull wire.

Steering control mechanism for catheters

A bi-directional steerable catheter that, for a given tip deflection angle, generates a first articulation radius in a first lateral direction and a second articulation radius in a second lateral direction, the second articulation radius being different than the first articulation radius. The catheter includes two pull wire portions that can be individually and selectively put under tension to cause deflection of the tip in a corresponding lateral direction. Actuation of a first of the pull wire portions causes a shift in the neutral axis of the catheter over a portion of the steering section, resulting in articulation over a shorter length of the steering section and thus a smaller bend radius. Actuation of a second of the pull wire portions does not result in a neutral axis shift, so that articulation is over substantially the entire length of the steering section, resulting in a larger bend radius.

Dual bend radii steering catheter

A plunger-type control handle for controlling the deflection of a distal tip of a catheter. The control handle includes a spool driven by a gear, the spool being connected to the proximal end of at least one pull wire. For bi-directional deflection, a second proximal end of a pull wire is connected to the spool such that when one of the proximal ends is collected by the spool, the other of the proximal ends is released in an equal amount. The gear is operatively coupled to the plunger and engages a gear rack disposed on the control handle housing, such that when there is relative movement between the housing and the plunger, the gear and spool are rotated. In one embodiment, a switching mechanism is provided that reverses the rotation direction of the gear and spool, thereby providing full stroke resolution of the plunger in each of the bi-directional directions.

Control handles for catheters

A catheter assembly including a tapered steering spine having a varying stiffness along an axial length. The tapered steering spine is tailored to provide increasing flexibility from proximal to distal in a way that makes the bend radius more uniform along the length of the steering section. In one embodiment, the tapered steering spine includes structures on adjacent rings that engage with each other when the steering section is flexed to limit the minimum bend radius to a predetermined minimum and which enhances the torsional rigidity of the steering section regardless of the degree of flexure of the steering section. The limited bend radius can prevent excessive bending of components such as fiber optics. The enhanced torsional rigidity can negate the need for torque braid in the section of the catheter shaft that surrounds the tapered steering spine.

Growing community of inventors

Geneva, Switzerland

Alexandre Romoscanu