St Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc

St. Jude Medical, Af Division, Inc.

Allan Manuel Fuentes

Troy Terrance Tegg

Richard E Stehr

James V Kauphusman

Dale Eric Just

Sarah E Cumming

Wayne Heideman

Linda Kay Nemec

Mark Dustrude

Xiaoping Guo

Eric John Wilkowske

Xuan Yen Khieu

Steven C Christian

Martin Maitre Grasse

Salome A Gonzalez

John M Hastings

Gary B LaTraille

Linda Nemec

Michael J Johnson

Wayne Heidman

Martin M Grasse

Wayne A Heideman

Robert Fred Howat

The present invention relates to steerable access sheath assembly including at least one electrode. Moreover, the present invention relates to a steerable sheath access device for use in cardiovascular procedures. Embodiments of the present invention including steerable access sheaths or introducers may provide cardiovascular access for various ablation tools and devices for the performance of various ablation procedures or procedures involving alternate energy sources.

Steerable sheath access device

A catheter assembly includes an inner liner made of flexible material and an outer layer having a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism includes at least one flat wire and a corresponding lumen through which the flat wire may travel. The steering mechanism may also include at least one pull ring to which the flat wires are attached. A layer of heat shrink material may encompass the outer layer. A braided wire assembly may also be provided in the outer layer, and may be formed by braiding a plurality of flat wires into a wire mesh. The overall cross-section of the catheter assembly is preferably substantially circular. A catheter shaft may include a plurality of segments of differing hardness characteristics. The outer layer typically comprises a melt processing polymer such that the catheter assembly may be laminated using heat.

Steerable catheter using flat pull wires and having torque transfer layer made of braided flat wires

A deflectable medical device incorporates a strut that is configured to reduce or eliminate axial shortening of the deflectable portion of the medical device, for example, the deflectable distal end portion of a catheter or access sheath. The strut may is coaxially disposed in the medical device in the section that is contemplated to undergo the repeated deflection. The strut provides improved column strength and axial restoration. The strut may be stent-like device, an elongate device having opposing ends coupled by a connecting lattice involving a plurality of helical connecting elements or a tube having a plurality of circumferentially-extending slots arranged in longitudinally-extending rows.

Device for reducing axial shortening of catheter or sheath due to repeated deflection

A dual braided catheter shaft includes an inner helical braid and outer helical braid than encapsulate an axially extending steering wire there between. In one embodiment, the shaft includes an inner polymer jacket, an inner braid formed on the inner jacket, a steering wire disposed along an outside surface of the inner braid, an outer braid formed over the inner braid and steering wire assembly and an outer jacket formed on the outer braid. The braiding parameters of the inner and outer braids can be varied along the length of the catheter to provide varying mechanical properties.

Dual braid reinforcement deflectable device (sheath or catheter)

A method of manufacturing a flexible tubular body for a medical device includes extruding an inner layer from a thermoplastic polymer, pulling it over a mandrel, and tightening it down. If wire lumens were not formed in the inner layer when extruded, polymer spaghetti tubes with wire lumens are laid along the outer surface of the inner layer. Deflection wires are fed into the wire lumens. A wire braid is placed over the inner layer (and spaghetti tubes, if present) and tightened down. The components are encased in an outer polymer layer and a heat shrinkable tube. Pressurized fluid is injected into each wire lumen to maintain the internal diameter thereof greater than the diameter of the deflection wire received therein. Heat is applied to the assembled components, causing the layers to laminate. Once the laminated body has cooled, the heat-shrinkable tube is removed.

Steerable catheter and methods of making the same

A circuit configured for connecting an electrode to a catheter or sheath is disclosed. The circuit includes a member having a longitudinal axis and configured to extend along at least a portion of the length of the catheter or sheath. The circuit further includes a trace printed on the member, where the trace includes at least a longitudinal segment extending generally along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis and a transverse segment extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. In an embodiment, the circuit further includes a pad integral with and extending from the circuit proximal the transverse segment of the trace. A catheter or sheath assembly comprising the circuit and an electrode connected to the circuit is also disclosed. A method of forming a catheter or sheath assembly is also provided.

Circuit for a catheter or sheath and method of forming same

The present invention provides various embodiments of electrodes and/or electrode tips for use in connection with ablation catheters and ablation catheter systems. In an embodiment, an electrode tip for an ablation catheter is provided, comprising an electrode carrier, a first electrode, and second electrode, each adapted to direct energy is various directions and configured to be selectively activated. In another embodiment, an electrode is provided that comprises an electrode body having an insulated portion to protect adjacent tissue from ablation while further adapted to direct energy in a downward direction towards the target tissue. Other embodiments of electrodes and/or electrode tips providing ablative elements that are directed laterally are also disclosed. Moreover, embodiments of several types of electrodes and/or electrode tips, which may include positioning, orientation, irrigating, cooling, and deflecting features, whether provided individually or in various combinations, are also disclosed.

Ablation electrode and catheter assembly for epicardial mapping and ablation with directionally focused RF energy

Dual braid reinforcement deflectable device

A circuit () configured for connecting an electrode () to a catheter or sheath is disclosed. The circuit () includes a member () having a longitudinal axis () and configured to extend along at least a portion of the length of the catheter or sheath. The circuit () further includes a trace () printed on the member (), where the trace () includes at least a longitudinal segment () extending generally along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis () and a transverse segment () extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis (). In an embodiment, the circuit further includes a pad () integral with and extending from the () proximal the transverse segment () of the trace (). A catheter or sheath assembly comprising the circuit () and an electrode () connected to the circuit () is also disclosed. A method of forming a catheter or sheath assembly is also provided.

The present invention relates to steerable access sheath assembly (). Moreover, the present invention relates to a steerable short sheath access device () for use in epicardial procedures. Embodiments of the present invention including shorter steerable access sheaths or introducers () may provide epicardial access for various ablation tools and devices for the performance of various ablation procedures or procedures involving alternate energy sources. The steerable access device () provides an elongated member () having a proximal section () and a distal section (), wherein the deflection of the distal section () provides a primary curve including an inner radius (r) that result in a secondary curve of proximal section () having an inner radius (r, r), wherein the inner radius of curvature (r) of the primary curve is less than the inside radius of curvature (r, r) of the secondary curve.

Growing community of inventors

Mound, MN, United States of America

Allan Manuel Fuentes