Locatable catheter

• US 10,154,798 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Greenburg, Benny, Averbuch, Dorian, Zur, Oded
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAO, ELMER M
• Application Number:
  US14/808,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers

Abstract

A catheter having a sensor at a distal end thereof, useable to detect and create signals from an electromagnetic field. The sensor is constructed and arranged to leave a lumen of the catheter open such that it may be used to pass instruments therethrough once a target location has been reached.

Claims

1. A locatable medical instrument insertable through a working channel of a bronchoscope, comprising:

a sheath forming a longitudinal lumen along a longitudinal axis of the sheath; and

at least three coils embedded in a wall of the sheath along the longitudinal lumen of the sheath, the at least three coils overlying one another and having a common center point,

wherein each of the at least three coils generates a signal when placed in an electromagnetic field,

wherein one of the at least three coils forms a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along the longitudinal lumen, and

wherein the other two of the at least three coils form two planes, which are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis and approximately perpendicular to each other.

2. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the signal is indicative of a strength of the electromagnetic field and a position of the sheath.

3. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the at least three coils are positioned proximate a distal end of the sheath.

4. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the sheath is flexible.

5. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1, wherein the sheath has a first electromagnetic field sensor embedded at a distal end thereof.

6. The locatable medical instrument of claim 5, wherein the sheath receives a probe therethrough to position the sheath adjacent target tissue.

7. The locatable medical instrument of claim 6, wherein the probe has a second electromagnetic field sensor embedded at a distal end thereof.

8. The locatable medical instrument of claim 7, wherein the first and second electromagnetic field sensors are six degree-of-freedom sensors.

9. The locatable medical instrument of claim 8, further including an electromagnetic field generation device for creating electromagnetic fields having a plurality of frequencies for inducing signals in the first and second electromagnetic field sensors.

10. The locatable medical instrument of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic field generation device creates electromagnetic fields of at least four frequencies, three of the at least four frequencies detected by the second electromagnetic field sensor.

11. A system for navigating through a branched structure, comprising:

a sheath forming a longitudinal lumen along a longitudinal axis of the sheath;

at least three coils embedded in a wall of the sheath along the longitudinal lumen of the sheath, the at least three coils overlying one another and having a common center point; and

a probe extendable through the longitudinal lumen of the sheath, the probe having a first electromagnetic field sensor embedded at a distal end thereof,

wherein each of the at least three coils generates a signal when placed in an electromagnetic field,

wherein one of the at least three coils forms a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis along the longitudinal lumen, and

wherein the other two of the at least three coils form two planes, which are angled with respect to the longitudinal axis and approximately perpendicular to each other.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the signal is indicative of a strength of the electromagnetic field and a position of the sheath.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least three coils are positioned proximate a distal end of the sheath.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the sheath has a second electromagnetic field sensor embedded at a distal end thereof.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first and second electromagnetic field sensors are six degree-of-freedom sensors.

16. The system of claim 15, further including an electromagnetic field generation device for creating electromagnetic fields having a plurality of frequencies for inducing signals in the first and second electromagnetic field sensors.