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System and method for visual confirmation of pulmonary vein isolation during abalation procedures

  • US 10,154,888 B2
  • Filed: 12/01/2015
  • Issued: 12/18/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A tissue ablation system configured to provide visual confirmation of pulmonary vein isolation during an ablation procedure in which a lesion formed by directed energy emission at a treatment site of a patient, the tissue ablation system comprising:

  • a tissue ablation instrument includes an inflatable balloon for contacting tissue and for use at the treatment site and having a movable directed energy emitter configured to emit a variable amount of directed energy for ablating tissue and forming the lesion at the treatment site;

    an imaging device that is configured to obtain at least one of live video and still images of the treatment site; and

    a computer having a processor, database and a display and a plurality of modules executing in the processor so as to configure the computer to perform operations, the plurality of modules including an analysis module configured to analyze a visual change in a distal pool of blood within the pulmonary vein at the treatment site and based on the analysis to determine whether a degree of electrical isolation of the pulmonary vein as a result of formation of the lesion therearound during the ablation procedure meets a threshold value;

    wherein the analysis module is configured to perform analysis of the live video and still images from the imaging device and perform a comparison between a baseline image of the distal pool of blood prior to initiating the ablation procedure and one or more subsequent images of the distal pool of blood as the ablation procedure is being performed or has been completed, wherein the analysis module calculates a degree of completion of the lesion by analyzing a level of perturbation of the distal blood pool within the pulmonary vein including analysis of a presence or absence of visible fluid characteristics that are indicative of blood motion and are observed in the one or more subsequent images of the distal blood pool at an interface between the distal blood pool and the tissue.

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