Ablation systems with multiple temperature sensors

• US 10,383,686 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2018
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• 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:
  US16/155,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20190038347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 315 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 cardiac ablation system, comprising:

a catheter comprising an electrode assembly, the electrode assembly comprising a proximal electrode and a distal electrode, wherein the proximal electrode is separated from the distal electrode by a gap; and

an energy delivery device configured to deliver energy at a frequency within an ablation radiofrequency range to the electrode assembly;

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;

wherein the system is configured to receive signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the proximal electrode or distal electrode;

wherein the system is configured to determine, upon execution of instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium by a hardware processor, temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

2. The system of claim 1,

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

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure 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 system of claim 1,

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

wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode; and

wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

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

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure automatically by adjusting a power level.

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

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

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

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises at least three temperature sensors located near the proximal electrode and at least three temperature sensors located near the distal electrode.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the filtering element comprises a capacitor.

11. A cardiac ablation system, comprising:

an elongate member comprising a proximal electrode and a distal electrode, wherein the proximal electrode is separated from the distal electrode by a gap; and

an energy delivery device configured to deliver energy at a frequency within an ablation radiofrequency range to at least one of a proximal electrode and a distal electrode;

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;

wherein the system is configured to receive signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the proximal electrode or distal electrode;

wherein the system is configured to determine temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

12. The system of claim 11,

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

and

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on a predictive model or on at least one peak temperature measurement.

13. The system of claim 11,

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

wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode; and

wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the ablation radiofrequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode.

16. A cardiac ablation system, comprising:

an elongate member comprising a proximal electrode and a distal electrode, wherein the proximal electrode is adjacent the distal electrode; and

an energy delivery device configured to deliver energy at a frequency within an ablation radiofrequency range to at least one of a proximal electrode and a distal electrode;

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;

wherein the system is configured to receive signals indicative of temperature from at least one temperature sensor positioned along the proximal electrode or distal electrode;

wherein the system is configured to determine temperature measurements from the signals received from the at least one temperature sensor; and

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on the determined temperature measurements.

17. The system of claim 16,

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

and

wherein the system is configured to adjust one or more treatment parameters of the ablation procedure based, at least in part, on a predictive model or on at least one peak temperature measurement.

18. The system of claim 16,

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

wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode; and

wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a thermocouple.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the ablation radiofrequency range is between 200 kHz and 10 MHz.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is thermally insulated from the first electrode and the second electrode.