Method of constructing irrigated balloon catheter

• US 10,638,976 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Israel Ltd. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Israel Ltd. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Beeckler, Christopher Thomas, Keyes, Joseph Thomas, Govari, Assaf
• Primary Examiner(s): McNally, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US15/141,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20170311893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• 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 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1405 Electrodes having a specific shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1465 Deformable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6857 : with a distal pigtail shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1086 : having a special balloon surface topography, e.g. pores, protuberances, spikes or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/16 : Laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 : using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7542 : Catheters

Abstract

A method of constructing an inflatable electrode assembly configured for irrigation, comprises: providing a flex circuit having a substrate with a pre-formed aperture, the substrate constructed of a material having a greater heat resistance or a first melting temperature; providing a balloon member with a membrane, the membrane constructed of a material having a lesser heat resistance or a second melting temperature lower than the first melting temperature of the substrate; affixing the substrate to the membrane wherein a surrounding portion of the substrate around the pre-formed aperture masks a surrounding portion of the membrane so as to expose a target portion of the membrane; and applying heat to the target portion of the membrane through the pre-formed aperture of the substrate, wherein the heat applied, without melting the substrate, melts the target portion of the membrane in forming an aperture in the membrane.

Claims

1. A method of constructing an inflatable irrigated electrode assembly for an electrophysiology catheter, the method comprising:

providing a flex circuit having a substrate with a pre-formed aperture, the substrate having a higher heat resistance;

providing an inflated balloon member with a flexible membrane, the membrane having a lower heat resistance;

affixing the substrate to the membrane with adhesive; and

applying heat through the pre-formed aperture of the substrate, the heat creating a temperature sufficient to melt a portion of membrane and the adhesive without melting the substrate, the portion of the membrane and the adhesive melted forming an aperture in the membrane and adhesive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is constructed of a thermoset material.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is constructed of a material having a higher melting temperature, and the membrane is constructed of a material having a lower melting temperature.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is constructed of a material having a higher melting temperature, and the adhesive has a lower melting temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the membrane is constructed of thermoplastic polyurethane.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is constructed of polyimide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying heat includes inserting a soldering iron into the pre-formed aperture.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying heat includes inserting a hot wire into the pre-formed aperture.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying heat includes directing an energy beam from a laser into the pre-formed aperture to melt the target portion of the membrane and the adhesive.

10. A method of constructing an inflatable electrode assembly configured for irrigation, comprising:

providing a flex circuit having a substrate with a pre-formed aperture;

providing a balloon member with a membrane, the membrane having a first lesser heat resistance;

affixing the substrate to the membrane with an adhesive wherein a surrounding portion of the substrate around the pre-formed aperture masks a surrounding portion of the membrane so as to expose a target portion of the membrane and the adhesive, the substrate having a greater heat resistance, the adhesive having a second lesser heat resistance; and

applying heat to the target portion of the membrane through the pre-formed aperture of the substrate, wherein the heat applied, without melting the substrate, melts the target portion of the membrane and the adhesive in forming an aperture in the membrane.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat applied creates a temperature in the membrane that is between the first temperature of the substrate and the melting temperature of the membrane.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat applied creates a temperature in the membrane that is equal or greater than the melting temperature of the membrane.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the heat applied creates a temperature in the adhesive that is equal or greater than the melting temperature of the adhesive.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the aperture in the membrane is larger than the pre-formed aperture in the substrate.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the applying heat includes inserting a soldering iron into the pre-formed aperture.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the applying heat includes inserting a hot wire into the pre-formed aperture.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the applying heat includes directing an energy beam from a laser into the pre-formed aperture to melt the target portion of the membrane and the adhesive.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the affixing the substrate to the membrane includes applying an adhesive between the membrane and the surrounding portion of the substrate, wherein the heat applied to the target portion of the membrane and the adhesive reflows the membrane and the adhesive.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the membrane is constructed of thermoplastic polyurethane.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate is constructed of polyimide.

21. A method of constructing an inflatable electrode assembly configured for irrigation, comprising:

providing a flex circuit having a substrate with a pre-formed aperture, the substrate constructed of a material having a greater heat resistance;

providing an inflated balloon member with a flexible membrane, the membrane constructed of material having a lesser heat resistance;

adhering the substrate to the membrane with adhesive, wherein a first surrounding portion of the substrate around the pre-formed aperture frames an exposed target portion of the membrane while masking a second surrounding portion of membrane around the exposed target portion; and

applying heat to the target portion of the membrane through the pre-formed aperture of the substrate, the heat creating a temperature sufficient to melt the target portion of membrane without melting the first surrounding portion of the substrate.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the membrane is constructed of thermoplastic polyurethane and the substrate is constructed of polyimide.