St. Jude Medical, Inc.

St Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc

Heartstent Corporation

St. Jude Medical, Daig Division, Inc.

Pacesetter, Inc.

Atricure, Inc.

Percardia, Inc.

Guy P Vanney

Kurt D Krueger

Jeremy David Dando

Katherine S Tweden

Michael J Girard

Kimberly A Anderson

Thomas L Odland

Joshua L Dudney

Elizabeth Nee

Troy Terrance Tegg

Richard E Stehr

Michael C Bednarek

Duy Nguyen

Sheldon J Nelson

Avrom M Brendzel

Robert A Eno

James R Ringdal

Clint Schneider

Eric E Solien

James A Jensen

Michael W Stine

Mark B Knudson

Pär Gustafsson

Terry L Shepherd

Gene A Bornzin

Tamer Ibrahim

Jason L Quill

Annapurna Karicherla

Scott Salys

Bob Allan

Thomas F Hinnenkamp

Darrin J Bergman

Thao T Ngo

Stephen A Petersen

Deborah A Loch

Ravisankar Gurusamy

Ram Kumar

David R Elizondo

Jonas A Runquist

William R Kramlinger

Scott D Moore

James E Graf

Michael L Krogh

Robert E Kohler

Susan M Mulvaney

Margaret A Wallner

Al Mclevish

Aaron Owens

James Jensen

Devices, systems, and methods for therapeutically treating tissue. The devices and methods are suitable for minimally invasive surgery or open surgical procedures. More particularly, methods and devices described herein permit accessing and/or treating areas of tissue with a therapeutic device.

Device and accessories for a percutaneous endoscopic access and ablation systems

The present invention is a catheter actuation handle for deflecting a distal end of a tubular catheter body, the handle including an auto-locking mechanism. The handle comprises upper and lower grip portions, an actuator, and an auto-locking mechanism. The auto-locking mechanism is adapted to hold a deflected distal end of the catheter in place without input from the operator. When the distal end of the catheter is deflected from its zero position, it typically will seek a return to its zero position, and as a result exerts a force on the actuator. The auto-locking mechanism acts by providing a second force that resists this force from the distal end and holds the distal end in place. As a result, the operator does not need to maintain contact with the buttons to maintain the distal endin a set position once placed there by actuating the actuator.

Auto lock for catheter handle

The invention provides a deflectable catheter capable of forming many variable radius spiral forms from a single, flexible, distal end section. In one aspect, the catheter employs a variable radius control wire to extend or deform a pre-formed loop structure into a three dimensional spiral-like form or geometry. The ability of a single catheter to create a multitude of shapes and sizes allows users to access to a number of anatomical areas without changing the catheter during a procedure or treatment. In another aspect, the invention encompasses methods of producing deflectable variable radius catheters, where two or more regions of the catheter having common control wires are fused or formed onto one another.

Deflectable variable radius catheters

A guidewire for a medical device is disclosed. The guidewire includes an elongate body, a proximal connector assembly, a corewire, and a sensor assembly. The body has an annular wall that defines an interior lumen. The proximal connector assembly is coupled to the body and is configured for connection to a medical positioning system. The corewire extends through the lumen. The sensor assembly located on a distal end of the corewire is electrically connected to the proximal connector assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of a position of the sensor assembly in a reference coordinate system defined by the medical positioning system. The body includes a helical cutout extending over a predetermined length of the body. The helical cutout is configured to increase the flexibility of the body over the predetermined length of the body.

Medical device guidewire with helical cutout and coating

A guidewire for a medical device is disclosed. The guidewire includes an elongate body, a proximal connector assembly, a corewire, and a sensor assembly. The body has an annular wall that defines an interior lumen. The proximal connector assembly is coupled to the body and is configured for connection to a medical positioning system. The corewire extends through the lumen. The sensor assembly located on a distal end of the corewire is electrically connected to the proximal connector assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of a position of the sensor assembly in a reference coordinate system defined in the medical positioning system. The body includes a helical cutout extending over a predetermined length of the body. The helical cutout is configured to increase the flexibility over the predetermined length of the body.

A catheter used for diagnosing and treating, for example, atrial fibrillation. The catheter includes a catheter shaft that has a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion is adapted to be inserted into a body cavity having tissue to be diagnosed or treated and is disposed remotely from the proximal portion. The distal portion, which may be curved or straight, comprises an outer peripheral wall having an active region, and the distal portion has a cross-sectional configuration along the active region. The cross-sectional configuration is adapted to bias the active region against the tissue to be diagnosed or treated.

Catheter design that facilitates positioning at tissue to be diagnosed or treated

The present invention is a catheter actuation handle for deflecting a distal end of a tubular catheter body, the handle including an auto-locking mechanism. The handle comprises upper and lower grip portions, an actuator, and an auto-locking mechanism. The auto-locking mechanism is adapted to hold a deflected distal end of the catheter in place without input from the operator. When the distal end of the catheter is deflected from its zero position, it typically will seek a return to its zero position, and as a result exerts a force on the actuator. The auto-locking mechanism acts by providing a second force that resists this force from the distal end and holds the distal end in place. As a result, the operator does not need to maintain contact with the buttons to maintain the distal end in a set position once placed there by actuating the actuator.

Disclose herein is a method of measuring pressures in a coronary sinus. In one embodiment, the method includes: introducing a distal portion of a lead or tool into the coronary sinus, wherein the distal portion includes first and second pressure sensors and at least one selectably expandable member; expanding the at least one expandable member such that the first and second sensors are isolated from each other within the coronary sinus; and taking pressure measurements with the first and second sensors when isolated from each other.

Coronary venous system pressure sensing

An ablation catheter employing a continuous or nearly continuous flexible electrode arrangement. In one implementation, the flexible electrode include at least one electrode defining a saw tooth pattern. In another implementation, the flexible electrode is arranged in an interlaced pattern. Generally, the flexible electrodes are configured to adapt to the change in shape of the portion of the catheter that the electrode is connected with. Moreover, the flexible electrodes are arranged to provide a continuous or nearly continuous lesion of the target tissue. In some implementations, the flexible electrode may be connected with the catheter in a biased configuration, and as such may assist in changing the shape of a curve in the catheter.

Ablation catheter electrode arrangement

An ablation catheter having a catheter shaft and a virtual electrode, the virtual electrode comprising portholes through an outer peripheral wall of the catheter shaft and a metal electrode, the catheter being used for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia, for example, atrial fibrillation, by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein. Upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion on an inner wall of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Ablation catheter assembly having a virtual electrode comprising portholes

An ablation catheter used for treatment of, for example, atrial fibrillation by electrically isolating a vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, from a chamber, such as the left atrium. The ablation catheter has a virtual electrode and a catheter shaft. The virtual electrode comprises a porous conductor. The catheter shaft includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion includes an active region, which is either a looped structure transverse to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft, or a linear structure that extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the catheter shaft. During use, the active region is directed into contact with, for example, the wall of a pulmonary vein and, upon energization, the virtual electrode creates a continuous lesion at or near the ostium of the pulmonary vein, thereby electrically isolating the pulmonary vein from the left atrium.

Ablation catheter having a virtual electrode comprising portholes and a porous conductor

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Blaine, MN, United States of America

Guy P Vanney