St Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc

Reed R Heimbecher

Saurav Paul

Troy Terrance Tegg

Richard E Stehr

Steven C Christian

Chou Thao

Hong Cao

Jeffrey A Schweitzer

Harry A Puryear

Todd Stangenes

Fos Ulus Kuehn

John M Berns

Kedar Ravindra Belhe

Riki Chou Thao

William M Sutton

Prathyusha Marri

Paul H McDowall

Fos Kuehn

A monitoring, managing and protecting system is provided that includes a monitoring probe working in conjunction with an ablating device. The probe is configured to be positioned in close proximity to a region of non-targeted tissue proximate an ablation site of targeted tissue and to be operatively connected to an electrical response assessment system or component. The probe includes an elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends, with a handle disposed at the proximal end thereof and a tissue monitoring and protecting apparatus disposed at the distal end thereof. The ablating device includes an elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends, with a handle mounted at the proximal end thereof and an ablation element mounted at the distal end thereof. The monitoring probe measures electrical characteristics of the non-targeted tissue and/or of the tissue between the monitoring electrode and the ablation electrode. The electrical response assessment system determines whether the tissue is being damaged based on the electrical measurements. The monitoring, managing and protecting system can notify a practitioner based on the determination, or modify or stop the ablation procedure.

Monitoring, managing and/or protecting system and method for non-targeted tissue

Ablation electrode assemblies include an inner core member and an outer shell surrounding the inner core member. The inner core member and the outer shell define a space or separation region therebetween. The inner core member is constructed from a thermally insulative material having a reduced thermal conductivity. In an embodiment, the space is a sealed or evacuated region. In other embodiments, irrigation fluid flows within the space. The ablation electrode assembly further includes at least one thermal sensor in some embodiments. Methods for providing irrigation fluid during cardiac ablation of targeted tissue are disclosed that include calculating the energy delivered to irrigation fluid as it flows within the ablation electrode assembly through temperature measurement of the irrigation fluid. Pulsatile flow of irrigation fluid can be utilized in some embodiments of the disclosure.

Ablation electrode assemblies and methods for using same

A system for diagnosis or treatment of tissue in a body is provided. The system includes an ablation catheter having a deformable, elongate shaft having proximal and distal ends. The catheter further includes an ablation delivery member disposed proximate the distal end of the shaft and configured to deliver ablation energy to ablate the tissue. In one embodiment, the ablation delivery member comprises an ablation electrode and may also be configured to generate a signal indicative of electrical activity in the tissue. The catheter further includes one or more sensing electrodes disposed proximate the ablation delivery member. The sensing electrodes are configured to generate signals indicative of electrical activity in the tissue. The system further includes an electronic control unit configured to control delivery of ablation energy from the ablation delivery member responsive to one or more of the generated signals indicative of electrical activity in the tissue.

System for optimized coupling of ablation catheters to body tissues and evaluation of lesions formed by the catheters

The invention relates to an optic-based sensing assembly and a system incorporating the assembly and related use of the assembly. In particular, the invention relates to an optic-based catheter assembly and related system used to determine contact between a catheter and surrounding proximate environment, such as tissue. An embodiment of such a system may, for example, be used for visualization, mapping, ablation, or other methods of diagnosis and treatment of tissue and/or surrounding areas.

Optic-based contact sensing assembly and system

A transseptal medical device is provided including a dilator, a needle, and a needle control mechanism. The needle may be disposed within the dilator, and the needle control mechanism may be operably connected to a proximal end of the needle or the dilator for selective adjustment of the distal end of the needle from a first position within the dilator to a second position external to the dilator. The needle control mechanism may include an actuator configured for rotation within the dilator in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the proximal end of the dilator may incorporate internal threads and the proximal end of the needle may incorporate external threads, such that the needle may be configured for rotation during selective adjustment of the distal end of the needle from a first position to a second position. A method for puncturing a septum of a heart is also disclosed.

Fast-acting or rotating transseptal needle

A contact sensing assembly including a catheter and an electrode including a tip portion and a base portion, and a generally central axis, with the electrode being connected to a distal end of the catheter. Optical sensor(s) may be provided for emitting and/or receiving an optical signal, with a part of the optical signal being transverse to the central axis. Optical interference member(s) may be provided for interfering with the optical signal. A method for sensing contact force exerted by an electrode on a tissue includes directing an optical signal along a portion of a catheter, emitting and/or receiving an optical signal, with a part of the optical signal being at a predetermined angle relative to the central axis, and sensing changes in intensity of the optical signal based on displacement associated with the electrode tip portion based on the contact force exerted by the electrode on the tissue.

Acoustic coupling systems and methods are disclosed as these can be used for assessment and ablation procedures. An exemplary acoustic assessment system for a catheter has a flexible catheter shaft. At least one acoustic transducer is positioned in the flexible catheter shaft. The at least one acoustic transducer emits a generated acoustic signal for reflection by adjacent tissue. The at least one acoustic transducer receives a reflected acoustic signal from the adjacent tissue and generates electrical signals corresponding to one or more property of the tissue. An output device is electrically connected to the at least one acoustic transducer. The output device receives the electrical signals and generate output for a user for assessing the tissue.

Acoustic coupling for assessment and ablation procedures

A transseptal medical device () is provided including a dilator (), a needle (), and a needle control mechanism (). The needle () may be disposed within the dilator (), and the needle control mechanism () may be operably connected to a proximal end () of the needle () or the dilator () for selective adjustment of the distal end () of the needle () from a first position within the dilator () to a second position external to the dilator (). The needle control mechanism () may include an actuator () configured for rotation within the dilator in one embodiment.

A system for implementing a procedure for the diagnosis or treatment of tissue in a body is provided. The system includes an electronic control unit configured to generate a graphical user interface on a display. The interface depicts an image of the tissue. The unit is further configured to receive one or more inputs regarding target locations on the tissue for diagnosis or treatment. The electronic control unit identifies a catheter for use in the procedure and determines configurations for a distal end of the catheter at each target location. The unit superimposes representations of the distal end of the catheter having the determined configurations on the image of the tissue at the target locations. The unit may also generate control signals to guide the distal end of the catheter to the target locations and to assume the determined configurations at each location.

Catheter configuration interface and related system

An electrode catheter and a method for assessing catheter-tissue contact for tissue ablation are disclosed. An exemplary electrode catheter comprises a flexible catheter shaft. At least one piezoelectric sensor is oriented coaxial to the flexible catheter shaft. The at least one piezoelectric sensor is responsive to movement of the flexible catheter shaft by generating electrical signals corresponding to the amount of movement. The system may also include an output device electrically connected to the at least one piezoelectric sensor. The output device receives the electrical signals for dynamically assessing a level of contact between the flexible catheter shaft and a moving tissue. In another exemplary embodiment, the system may be implemented in a hydrodynamic environment.

Dynamic contact assessment for electrode catheters

Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing electrode-tissue contact for tissue ablation. An exemplary electrode contact sensing system comprises an electrodehoused within a distal portion of a catheter shaft. At least one electro-mechanical sensoris operatively associated with the electrodewithin the catheter shaft. The at least one electro-mechanical sensoris responsive to movement of the electrodeby generating electrical signals corresponding to the amount of movement. The system may also include an output device electrically connected to the at least one electro-mechanical sensor. The output device receives the electrical signals for assessing a level of contact between the electrodeand a tissue

Systems and methods for electrode contact assessment

Systems and methods are disclosed for assessing electrode-tissue contact for tissue ablation. An exemplary electrode contact sensing system comprises an electrode housed within a distal portion of a catheter shaft. At least one electro-mechanical sensor is operatively associated with the electrode within the catheter shaft. The at least one electro-mechanical sensor is responsive to movement of the electrode by generating electrical signals corresponding to the amount of movement. The system may also include an output device electrically connected to the at least one electro-mechanical sensor. The output device receives the electrical signals for assessing a level of contact between the electrode and a tissue.

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Hamel, MN, United States of America

Reed R Heimbecher