Biosense Webster, Inc.

C. R. Bard, Inc.

Medtronic, Inc.

Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.

Universitë De Bordeaux

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Bordeaux

Fondation Bordeaux Université

Fondation Universite Bordeaux

Michel Haissaguerre

Kristine B Fuimaono

Gary S Falwell

Bart-Jan Korteling

Meir Bar-Tal

John W Gaiser

Shubhayu Basu

Mark A Maguire

Mario A Solis

Le Trong Le

Huu Nguyen

Donald F Patterson

Meleze Hocini

Walter Bruszewski

James Coleman

Rémi Dubois

Olivier Bernus

Masateru Takigawa

Richard A Gambale

Sean Forde

Pierre Jais

James M Fialkowski

Remi Dubois

Massa Teru Takigawa

An apparatus includes a shaft and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector is sized to fit in an anatomical passageway within a subject's cardiovascular system. The end effector includes at least one electrode pair that is configured to contact cardiovascular tissue and thereby pick up electrocardiogram signals. Each electrode pair includes first and second electrodes spaced apart along a longitudinal axis from each other by a gap area located between the electrodes, the gap area having a gap length with respect to the longitudinal axis such that a length of one of the electrodes along the longitudinal axis is equal to or greater than the gap length; and a ratio of an area defined by the gap area to one electrode area is equal to or less than one.

Electrode configurations for diagnosis of arrhythmias

A method is provided for mapping electrical activity within a tubular region of or near the heart having a inner circumference, such as a pulmonary vein. The method comprises inserting into the heart a distal end of a mapping catheter. The mapping catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The catheter includes a mapping assembly comprising a tubular structure comprising a pre-formed generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrode pairs, each comprising two ring electrodes, are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. The method further comprises contacting the outer circumference of the generally circular main region with the inner circumference of the tubular region and mapping the electrical activity within the tubular region with the electrodes along the generally circular main region.

Method for mapping a tubular region near the heart

An improved catheter is provided that is particularly useful for mapping the Purkinje fibers for potential diagnosis of ventricular fibrillation. The catheter comprises an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough. Mounted at the distal end of the catheter body is a mapping assembly having at least two spines, each having a proximal end attached at the distal end of the catheter body and a free distal end. Each spine comprises at least one electrode, preferably a tip electrode and at least one ring electrode. An irrigation tube extends through the catheter body and has an open distal end that is in communication with the outside of the distal end of the catheter body. The spines may be arranged in an expanded arrangement wherein each spine extends radially outwardly from the catheter body or in a collapsed arrangement wherein each spine is disposed generally along the longitudinal axis of the catheter body. In use, at least one electrode from each spine is positioned in contact with heart tissue to map the electrical activity of the heart. The location sensors are used to determine the location of each point where the electrical activity is monitored.

Catheter and method for mapping purkinje fibers

Catheter and method for mapping Purkinje fibers

A bidirectional mapping catheter is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated flexible tubular catheter body having an axis and proximal and distal ends. A mapping assembly, which is mounted at the distal end of the tubular body, has a preformed generally circular main region having an outer surface that is generally transverse to the axis of the catheter body. The generally circular main region has proximal and distal ends and carries a plurality of spaced apart electrodes. An electrode lead wire is associated with each electrode. Each electrode lead wire has proximal and distal ends and extends through the catheter body and into the mapping assembly. The distal end of each electrode lead wire is electrically connected to its associated electrode. First and second puller wires are provided. Each puller wire has proximal and distal ends and extends through the tubular catheter body. The distal end of each puller wire is anchored at or near the distal end of the catheter body. A handle is connected to the proximal ends of the catheter body and puller wires for moving the puller wires longitudinally relative to the catheter body. Longitudinal movement of a puller wire relative to the catheter body results in deflection of the distal end of the catheter body.

Bidirectional catheter having mapping assembly

Catheter for mapping and/or ablation, and methods of using the same. According to one embodiment, catheter includes a metallic cap having a plurality of apertures and at least one electrode disposed in each aperture of the plurality of apertures. According to another embodiment, the catheter includes a non-conductive cap having a plurality of apertures and at least one electrode disposed in each aperture of the plurality of apertures. Electrodes may be paired, arranged along the length of the cap, or circumferentially arranged on the cap, according to various embodiments. According to a further embodiment, a method for treating a condition of a heart includes placing a catheter inside the heart, mapping a region of the heart using mapping electrodes on the catheter, and ablating using an ablation electrode disposed about the mapping electrodes of the catheter.

Microelectrode catheter for mapping and ablation

A catheter that is particularly useful for mapping tubular regions of the heart, such as the pulmonary vein, is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The catheter further includes a mapping assembly, which comprises a tubular structure comprising a continuous generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrode pairs, each comprising two ring electrodes, are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly.

Catheter having mapping assembly

A catheter that is particularly useful for mapping tubular regions of the heart, such as the pulmonary vein, is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body having an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The catheter further includes a mapping assembly, which comprises a tubular structure comprising a generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference and a generally straight distal region distal to the main region, wherein the tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A support member having shape-memory is disposed within at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrode pairs, each comprising two ring electrodes, are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly.

A mapping catheter comprises a catheter body and a mapping assembly. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The mapping assembly comprises a generally straight proximal region attached to the catheter body, a generally circular main region distal the proximal region having an outer circumference, and a generally straight distal region distal the main region. The mapping assembly also comprises a support member having shape-memory, a non-conductive covering over the support member, and a plurality of electrodes on the non-conductive covering along the generally circular main region.

A catheter for ablating tissue comprises a catheter body, a tip section, a branding iron assembly and an infusion tube. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The tip section comprises a segment of flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough. The proximal end of the tip section is fixedly attached to the distal end of the catheter body. The branding iron assembly has proximal and distal ends and is fixedly attached at its proximal end to the distal end of the tubing of the tip section. The branding iron assembly is bent relative to the tubing and comprises a non-retractable tubular electrode formed of a material having shape-memory. The tubular electrode has proximal and distal ends and at least one irrigation port through which fluid can pass from the inside to the outside of the electrode. The infusion tube extends through a lumen in the tip section, with its distal end in fluid communication with the proximal end of the tubular electrode.

Atrial branding iron catheter and a method for treating atrial fibrillation

A medical device is disclosed which includes a deformable electrode device. In one illustrative embodiment, the deformable electrode is in the form of a braided member, at least a portion of which is electrically conductive. The braided member is extended over an elongated inner member, such as a guide wire, catheter shaft, or the like. A proximal sheath is slidably extended over the inner member and is connected to the braided, electrically conductive member. The proximal sheath may be advanced distally to deform the braided member so that it defines a distally facing, ablative ring, and is operative to form an annular lesion.

Apparatus for creating a continuous annular lesion

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Talence, France

Michel Haissaguerre