Catheter placement detection system and operator interface

• US 20050033281A1
• Filed: 08/24/2004
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cytyc Corporation (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Adiana, Inc. (Hologic Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kitlas, Kenneth, Harrington, Douglas C., Bowman, Brett S., Dhaka, Vijay
• Granted Patent: US 7,582,085 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2017/4233 Operations on Fallopian tubes, e.g. sterilization A61B2017/1125 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00559 Female reproductive organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure

Abstract

A system for facilitating the placement of a catheter within the human body, in a lumen or vessel such as the fallopian tubes, and controlling the catheter after placement. The system coordinates the operation of treatment electrodes on the catheter with informative displays and prompts to an operator, based on information derived from electrical parameters of position detection electrodes on the catheter.

Claims

1. A system for treating the ovarian pathway of a female patient, through transcervical placement of a catheter into the ovarian pathway of the patient, said system comprising:

a catheter adapted for transcervical introduction into the ovarian pathway;

a treatment segment disposed on the distal tip of the catheter;

an impedance detection circuit comprising an array of position detection electrodes disposed on the catheter in the proximity of the treatment segment such that the position electrodes will contact the ovarian pathway upon insertion of the catheter into the ovarian pathway, and an impedance measuring circuit operably connected to the electrodes of the array, said impedance measuring circuit being operable to provide a different output corresponding to the impedance of the impedance detection circuit measured at each of the different position detection electrodes;

a control box comprising a computer system and a display screen, said computer system being programmed to receive input from the impedance detection circuit corresponding to each different impedance measured at the electrodes of the array and create a display indicating each different degree of contact between each electrodes and the ovarian pathway based on the measured impedance.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the treatment segment comprises at least one wounding element, and the control box includes treatment means for applying energy to the ovarian pathway through the wounding element, and input means for receiving input from an operator to initiate application of energy;

the computer system is operably connected to the treatment means, and the computer system is further programmed to determine, based on the measured impedance, when the catheter has achieved a predetermined degree of contact with the ovarian pathway, and control operability of the treatment means based on the degree of contact.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein

the computer system is further programmed to alter the display to inform an operator when the computer system has determined that the predetermined degree of contact has been achieved, prompt the operator to provide input to initiate application of energy, and permit application of energy only when the predetermined degree of contact has been achieved.

4. A system for treating the ovarian pathway of a female patient, through transcervical placement of a catheter into the ovarian pathway of the patient, said system comprising:

a catheter adapted for transcervical introduction into the ovarian pathway, a treatment segment disposed on the distal tip of the catheter;

an impedance detection circuit comprising a plurality of position detection electrodes disposed on the catheter in the proximity of the treatment segment, and arranged circumferentially about the catheter, such that the position electrodes will contact the ovarian pathway upon insertion of the catheter into the ovarian pathway, and impedance measuring circuit operably connected to the electrodes of the array, said impedance measuring circuit being operable to provide a different output corresponding to the impedance of the impedance detection circuit measured at each of the different position detection electrodes;

a control system and an indicator, said control system being designed to receive input from the impedance detection circuit corresponding to each different impedance measured at the electrodes of the array and create an indication each different degree of contact between the electrodes and the ovarian pathway based on the measured impedance.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are dispersed circumferentially about the catheters and uniformly distributed around the catheter.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes comprises:

four electrodes dispersed circumferentially about the catheters, each of the four electrodes being centered at approximately 90°

angle from adjacent electrodes.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are disposed proximal to the treatment segment.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are disposed on the catheter at a position proximal to the treatment segment, and the distance between the position detection electrodes and the treatment segment is chosen such that contact between the position detection electrodes and the ovarian pathway indicates that the treatment segment is positioned in a desired portion of the ovarian pathway.

9. A system for treating the ovarian pathway of a female patient, through transcervical placement of a catheter into the ovarian pathway of the patient, said system comprising:

a catheter adapted for transcervical introduction into the ovarian pathway, a treatment segment disposed on the distal tip of the catheter;

an impedance detection circuit comprising a plurality of position detection electrodes disposed on the catheter in the proximity of the treatment segment, and arranged circumferentially about the catheter, such that the position electrodes will contact the ovarian pathway upon insertion of the catheter into the ovarian pathway, and an impedance measuring circuit operably connected to the electrodes of the array, said impedance measuring circuit being operable to provide a different output corresponding to the impedance of the impedance detection circuit measured at each of the different position detection electrodes;

a control box comprising a computer system and a display screen, said computer system being programmed to receive input from the impedance detection circuit corresponding to each different impedance measured at the electrodes of the array and create a display indicating each different degree of contact between the electrodes and the ovarian pathway based on the measured impedance.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are dispersed circumferentially about the catheters and uniformly distributed around the catheter.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes comprises:

four electrodes dispersed circumferentially about the catheters, each of the four electrodes being centered at approximately 90°

angle from adjacent electrodes.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are disposed proximal to the treatment segment.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of position detection electrodes are disposed on the catheter at a position proximal to the treatment segment, and the distance between the position detection electrodes and the treatment segment is chosen such that contact between the position detection electrodes and the ovarian pathway indicates that the treatment segment is positioned in a desired portion of the ovarian pathway.