University of Oklahoma

Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.

Biosense Webster, Inc.

University Medical Center Utrecht

Biosense Webster (israel) Ltd.

Verimetra, Inc.

Prorhythm, Inc.

Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht

Hiroshi Nakagawa

Eugene J Jung

Robert Pacheco

Reinhard J Warnking

Frederik Henricus Wittkampf

Meir Bar-Tal

Robert Alan Mest

Assaf Rubissa

Erez Silberschein

Garth Francis Constantine

Gal Hayam

Shiva Sharareh

Michele Migliuolo

Warren Jackman

Robert C Pacheco

Michele Migliulo

Frederik Henricus Matheus Wittkampf

Reinhard Warnking

Eugene Jung

A method, consisting of ablating tissue for a time period, measuring a contact force applied during the time period, and measuring a power used during the time period. The method further includes ceasing ablating the tissue when a desired size of a lesion produced in the tissue, as estimated using an integral over the time period of a product of the contact force raised to a first non-unity exponent and the power raised to a second non-unity exponent, is reached.

Estimation of lesion size

A cardiac ablation device, including a steerable catheter () and an expandable ablation element () incorporating one or more balloons () at the distal end of the catheter, has a continuous passageway () extending through it from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal side of the expandable ablation element. A probe () carrying electrodes is introduced through this passageway and deploys, under the influence of its own resilience, to a structure incorporating a loop () which is automatically aligned with the axis of the expandable ablation device, so that minimal manipulation is required to place the sensor probe.

Ablation devices with sensors structures

A catheter with temperature sensing has a catheter body and a tip section with integrated thermoresistive temperature sensors on its outer surface. The temperature sensor includes a microfabricated thin film assembly of which one layer is a sensor layer of thermoresistive material. In one embodiment, the tip section has a flexible tubing on whose outer surface circumferential temperature sensors are integrated. In another embodiment, the tip section has a tip electrode on whose outer surface a tip temperature sensor is integrated. In yet another embodiment, the tip section has a tip temperature sensor integrated on its tip electrode and multiple circumferential temperature sensors distal of the tip temperature sensor.

Catheter with multiple microfabricated temperature sensors

Software and apparatus are provided to automatically detect and map ganglionated plexi that are found within areas of complex fractionated electrograms in cardiac chambers. Electrogram signal are analyzed to count the number of complexes whose amplitude and peak-to-peak intervals meet certain criteria. Functional maps indicating a spatial distribution of the ganglionated plexi and the relative numbers of complex fractionated electrograms are produced for display.

Determining locations of ganglia and plexi in the heart using complex fractionated atrial electrogram

The invention relates to a catheter, provided with an elongated body with an electrically conductive first end, wherein through said body at least one live wire extends which is connected to said first end and a channel for feeding a cooling fluid through said body, which channel is provided, in or near said first end, with at least one outlet opening and wherein, in said first end, a temperature sensor has been arranged, while said channel is thermally insulated from said first end.

Irrigated catheter and method, in particular for ablation and like techniques

Ablation devices with sensor structures

The invention relates to a variety of catheters provided with an elongate body with an electrically conductive first end. Wherein through said elongate body at least one conductive wire extends which is connected to an electrode. The electrode is coupled to said first end and an irrigation means (e.g. a channel, duct, tube, etc.) for feeding an irrigation fluid through said elongate body, where said irrigation means is provided, in, on, near, through, or adjacent said first end with at least one outlet opening, while said irrigation means is at least partially thermally insulated from said first end. Optionally a temperature sensor couples to the first end.

Catheter and method, in particular for ablation and like technique

A catheter for mapping and ablating comprises an elongated flexible body having a distal region and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A tip electrode is mounted on the distal region. The tip electrode has an exposed distal region having proximal and distal ends and an isolated region proximal to the exposed distal region. The isolated region has an outer surface provided with an electrically insulating and thermally conductive layer. A second electrode is mounted on the isolated region of the tip electrode. This mapping and ablation electrode arrangement provides discrete recording of electrical signals due to the relatively small exposed distal region while allowing the creating of larger lesions due to the large thermal mass provided by the isolated region.

Mapping and ablation catheter

A catheter particularly suitable for bipolar mapping and ablating comprises an elongated flexible body having a distal region and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A tip electrode is mounted on the distal region. The tip electrode has an exposed distal region having an outer diameter, a recessed central region having an outer surface proximal to the exposed distal region, and a proximal region having an outer diameter and an outer surface proximal to the central region. The recessed central region has an outer diameter less than the outer diameters of the exposed distal region and the proximal region. The central region and the proximal region are provided with an electrically insulating and thermally conductive layer over at least a portion of their outer surfaces. A ring electrode is mounted on the recessed central region. The ring electrode has an outer diameter less than the outer diameters of the exposed distal region and the proximal region. With this design, the exposed region of the tip electrode is in direct contact with the heart tissue, and thus senses both the local activation energy (near-field signals) at the point of contact with the heart tissue and far field activation energy (far-field signals) received by the exposed region through the blood. However, the recessed electrode is protected from direct contact with the heart tissue, but does contact with surrounding blood. The close proximity of the recessed electrode to the exposed region enables the recessed electrode to receive approximately the same far-field signals as the exposed region. However, the recessed electrode does not pick up the local activation potential (near-field signals) that are received by the exposed region. This design permits the creation of high resolution electrograms.

Catheter with tip electrode having a recessed ring electrode mounted thereon

Growing community of inventors

Edmond, OK, United States of America

Hiroshi Nakagawa