Bipolar mapping of intracardiac potentials using recessed electrodes

• US 20020151807A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Goldin
• Original Assignee: Alexander Goldin
• Inventors: Goldin, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 6,663,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/509
• 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 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems

Abstract

A method for measuring near-field electrical activity at a location in a heart comprising introducing into the heart a catheter. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular body having a distal region and a circumferential recess along the length of the distal region, a first electrode mounted on the distal region in close proximity to the circumferential recess, and a second electrode mounted within the circumferential recess. The distal region is positioned at the location in the heart so that the first electrode is in direct contact with heart tissue and the second electrode is not in direct contact with heart tissue but is in contact with blood. A first signal is obtained with the first electrode, and a second signal is obtained with the second electrode. The first signal and the second signal are compared to obtain the near-field electrical activity at the location in the heart.

Claims

1. A method for measuring near-field electrical activity at a location in a heart comprising:

introducing into the heart a catheter comprising;

an elongated tubular body having a distal region and a circumferential recess along the length of the distal region,

a first electrode mounted on the distal region in close proximity to the circumferential recess, and

a second electrode mounted within the circumferential recess;

positioning the distal region at the location in the heart so that the first electrode is in direct contact with heart tissue and the second electrode is not in direct contact with heart tissue but is in contact with blood;

obtaining a first signal with the first electrode;

obtaining a second signal with the second electrode;

comparing the first signal and the second signal to obtain the near-field electrical activity at the location in the heart.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a tip electrode.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrode is a ring electrode.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrode is mounted a distance from the first electrode ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 2.0 mm.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrode is mounted a distance from the first electrode ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer diameter of the second electrode is from about 20% to about 50% of the outer diameter of the portion of the distal region on which it is mounted.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catheter further comprises a location sensor.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising acquiring near-field electrical activity information with the first and second electrodes and location information with the location sensor at a plurality of locations within the heart.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising generating a map of the electrical activity of the heart using the acquired near-field electrical activity information and location information.

10. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the location sensor is an electromagnetic location sensor.

11. A method for measuring near-field electrical activity at a location in a heart comprising:

introducing into the heart a catheter comprising;

an elongated body having an outer diameter and

a distal region,

a first electrode mounted on the distal region, and

a second electrode mounted on the distal region in close proximity to and electrically isolated from the first electrode, the second electrode having an outer diameter less than the outer diameter of the portion of the distal region on which it is mounted;

positioning the distal region at the location in the heart so that the first electrode is in direct contact with heart tissue and the second electrode is not in direct contact with heart tissue but is in contact with blood;

obtaining a first signal with the first electrode;

obtaining a second signal with the second electrode;

comparing the first signal and the second signal to obtain the near-field electrical activity at the location in the heart.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first electrode is a tip electrode.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first electrode is a ring electrode.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second electrode is mounted a distance from the first electrode ranging from about 0.1 mm to about 2.0 mm.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the second electrode is mounted a distance from the first electrode ranging from about 0.5 mm to about 1.0 mm.

16. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the outer diameter of the second electrode is from about 20% to about 50% of the outer diameter of the portion of the distal region on which it is mounted.

17. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the catheter further comprises a location sensor.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, further comprising acquiring near-field electrical activity information with the first and second electrodes and location information with the location sensor at a plurality of locations within the heart.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising generating a map of the electrical activity of the heart using the acquired near-field electrical activity information and location information.

20. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the location sensor is an electromagnetic location sensor.

21. A method for measuring near-field electrical activity at a location in a heart comprising:

introducing into the heart a catheter comprising;

an elongated body having a distal region,

a first electrode mounted on the distal region, and

a second electrode mounted on the distal region in close proximity to and electrically isolated from the first electrode, the second electrode being covered by a blood-permeable membrane that prohibits direct contact between the second electrode and surrounding heart tissue;

positioning the distal region at the location in the heart so that the first electrode is in direct contact with heart tissue and the second electrode is not in direct contact with heart tissue but is in contact with blood;

obtaining a first signal with the first electrode;

obtaining a second signal with the second electrode;

comparing the first signal and the second signal to obtain the near-field electrical activity at the location in the heart.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the blood permeable membrane comprises a biocompatible composition selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyurethane, polyetheramide, polyetherimide, polyimide, fluoropolymers, silicones and combinations thereof.

23. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first electrode is a ring electrode.

24. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the first electrode is a tip electrode.

25. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the catheter further comprises a location sensor.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising acquiring near-field electrical activity information with the first and second electrodes and location information with the location sensor at a plurality of locations within the heart.

27. A method as claimed in claim 26, further comprising generating a map of the electrical activity of the heart using the acquired near-field electrical activity information and location information.

28. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the location sensor is an electromagnetic location sensor.

30. A catheter as claimed in claim 29, wherein the blood permeable membrane comprises a biocompatible composition selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyurethane, polyetheramide, polyetherimide, polyimide, fluoropolymers, silicones and combinations thereof.

31. A catheter as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first electrode is a ring electrode.

32. A catheter as claimed in claim 29, wherein the first electrode is a tip electrode.

33. A catheter as claimed in claim 29, wherein the catheter further comprises a location sensor.

34. A catheter as claimed in claim 33, wherein the location sensor is an electromagnetic location sensor.

29. A catheter comprising:

an elongated body having a distal region;

a first electrode mounted on the distal region; and

a second electrode mounted on the distal region in close proximity to and electrically isolated from the first electrode, the second electrode being covered by a blood-permeable membrane that, in use, prohibits direct contact between the second electrode and surrounding heart tissue.