System and method for intravascular catheter navigation
First Claim
1. A method for leading a sheath to a location inside a cavity in the body, comprising:
- (a) using an imaging device for acquiring an image of a portion of the body, said image being registered to a reference system of coordinates;
(b) acquiring coordinates of at least one location within said portion of the body;
(c) securing a position sensor at a distal end portion of a sheath, said position sensor measuring a position of said end portion of said sheath in said reference frame of coordinates; and
(d) navigating said position sensor to said coordinates of at least one location within said portion of the body.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for guiding an apparatus to a location within the body includes providing a sheath having a lumen and inserting along the lumen a position sensor such that said position sensor is located within, or adjacent to, a distal portion of the sheath. Position information generated using the position sensor is then employed during guiding of the distal portion of the sheath to the location within the body. Once the sheath is in place, the position sensor is withdrawn along the lumen to free the lumen for guiding an apparatus to the location within the body. The position sensor is preferably part of a six-degrees-of-freedom position sensing system. A corresponding catheter system typically includes at least one, and preferably two, steering mechanisms. At least one of the steering mechanisms is preferably deployed in a separate center-support distally with respect to the position sensor.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method for leading a sheath to a location inside a cavity in the body, comprising:
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(a) using an imaging device for acquiring an image of a portion of the body, said image being registered to a reference system of coordinates;
(b) acquiring coordinates of at least one location within said portion of the body;
(c) securing a position sensor at a distal end portion of a sheath, said position sensor measuring a position of said end portion of said sheath in said reference frame of coordinates; and
(d) navigating said position sensor to said coordinates of at least one location within said portion of the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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3. A device for leading an apparatus to a target position inside the body, the device comprising:
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(a) a sheath having a lumen;
(b) a center-support incorporating a position sensor at its distal end portion, said center-support being insertable from a proximal portion of said sheath into said lumen and being retractable from said lumen through said proximal portion of said sheath; and
(c) at least one steering mechanism for co-deflecting said sheath and said center-support. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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18. A catheter system comprising:
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(a) a steerable catheter having a lumen, a steerable distal portion, a proximal portion configured to be held by the practitioner and a first steering mechanism manually operable from said proximal portion so as to steer said distal portion of said catheter; and
(b) a steerable center-support deployed within, but retractable from, said lumen, said steerable guidewire having a steerable distal portion, a proximal portion configured to be accessible to the practitioner and a second steering mechanism manually operable from said proximal portion so as to steer said distal portion of said center-support. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for guiding an apparatus to a location within the body, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a sheath having a lumen;
(b) inserting along the lumen a position sensor such that said position sensor is located within, or adjacent to, a distal portion of the sheath;
(c) employing position information generated using the position sensor during guiding of the distal portion of the sheath to the location within the body; and
(d) withdrawing the position sensor along the lumen to free the lumen for guiding an apparatus to the location within the body. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification