Ablation catheter with high-resolution electrode assembly

• US 10,231,779 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EPIX Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: EPIX Therapeutics, Inc. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Panescu, Dorin, Schultheis, Eric Andrew, Koblish, Josef Vincent, Johnson, Jessi E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fowler, Daniel W
• Application Number:
  US15/382,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20170189105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00101 low, i.e. thermally insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00672 lower
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00678 upper
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00714 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/128 : generating two or more frequencies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 : with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 : in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 : Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/068 : using impedance sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150954 : Means for the detection of operative contact with patient, e.g. by temperature sensitive sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 : Catheters

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a medical instrument (for example, an ablation device) comprises an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, an energy delivery member positioned at the distal end of the elongate body, a first plurality of temperature-measurement devices carried by or positioned within the energy delivery member, the first plurality of temperature-measurement devices being thermally insulated from the energy delivery member, and a second plurality of temperature-measurement devices positioned proximal to a proximal end of the energy delivery member, the second plurality of temperature-measurement devices being thermally insulated from the energy delivery member.

Claims

1. A method of operating an ablation system, comprising:

delivering energy at a frequency within an ablation radiofrequency range to at least one of a proximal electrode and a distal electrode, the proximal and distal electrodes positioned along a distal end of an intraluminal device, wherein the proximal electrode is separated from the distal electrode by a gap;

wherein the proximal electrode is operatively coupled to the distal electrode using a filtering element at the ablation radiofrequency range such that the proximal electrode and the distal electrode function like a single electrode, and wherein the proximal electrode and the distal electrode function as separate electrodes at high-resolution mapping frequencies;

receiving signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the proximal or distal electrode;

determining, upon execution of instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium by a hardware processor, determined temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

adjusting one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the ablation radiofrequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz;

wherein adjusting the one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure is based, at least in part, on a predictive model or on at least one peak temperature measurement; and

wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect tissue temperature.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ablation radiofrequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure comprises automatically adjusting a power level.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a peak temperature based on the determined temperature measurements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure is based, at least in part, on a predictive model.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure is based, at least in part, on peak temperature measurements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect tissue temperature.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

11. A method of operating an ablation system, comprising:

delivering energy at a frequency within an ablation frequency range to at least one of a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes positioned along a distal end of an ablation device, wherein the first electrode is operatively coupled to the second electrode using a filtering element at the ablation frequency range such that the first electrode and the second electrode function like a single electrode, and wherein the first electrode and the second electrode function as separate electrodes at high-resolution mapping frequencies;

receiving signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the first or second electrode;

determining, upon execution of instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium by a hardware processor, determined temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

adjusting at least one treatment parameter of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the ablation frequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz, and wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect tissue temperature.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the ablation frequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein adjusting the at least one treatment parameter comprises automatically adjusting a power level.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating a peak temperature based on the determined temperature measurements.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect tissue temperature.

17. A method of operating an ablation system, comprising:

delivering energy at a frequency within an operating frequency range to at least one of a first electrode member and a second electrode member, the first and second electrode members positioned along on an ablation device, wherein the first electrode member is operatively coupled to the second electrode member using a filtering element at the operating frequency range such that the first electrode member and the second electrode member function like a single electrode, and wherein the first electrode member and the second electrode member function as separate electrodes at high-resolution mapping frequencies;

receiving signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the first or second electrode member;

determining, upon execution of instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium by a hardware processor, determined temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

adjusting at least one treatment parameter of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the operating frequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein adjusting the at least one treatment parameter comprises automatically adjusting a power level.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect tissue temperature.