Inductor for catheter

• US 20050283067A1
• Filed: 06/21/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ST JUDE MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL HOLDING S. R.L.
• Original Assignee: MediGuide Ltd (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Sobe, Lior
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/409
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field

Abstract

Electromagnetic field detector located within a catheter, for determining the position and orientation of the catheter according to an electromagnetic field generated in the vicinity of the catheter, the electromagnetic field detector including a ferromagnetic core having a perforation and at least one winding wound around the ferrous core, the perforation providing communication between a first side of the ferrous core and a second side of the ferrous core, the first side facing a proximal side of the catheter and the second side facing a distal side of the catheter, the winding producing a current according to the electromagnetic field, wherein the ferrous core increases the sensitivity of the electromagnetic field detector to the electromagnetic field, by increasing a proportionality factor between the current and the electromagnetic field.

Claims

1. Electromagnetic field detector located within a catheter, for determining the position and orientation of the catheter according to an electromagnetic field generated in the vicinity of the catheter, the electromagnetic field detector comprising:

a ferromagnetic core having a perforation, said perforation providing communication between a first side of said ferrous core and a second side of said ferrous core, said first side facing a proximal side of said catheter and said second side facing a distal side of said catheter; and

at least one winding wound around said ferrous core, said at least one winding producing a current according to said electromagnetic field,

wherein said ferrous core increases the sensitivity of said electromagnetic field detector to said electromagnetic field, by increasing a proportionality factor between said current and said electromagnetic field.

2. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, wherein said perforation provides conveyance of a material through said perforation.

3. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 2, wherein said material is selected from the list consisting of:

pharmaceutical substance; and

cryogenic fluid.

4. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, wherein said perforation provides conveyance of an element through said perforation.

5. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 2, wherein said element is selected from the list consisting of:

guidewire;

substance delivery lumen;

electric conductor;

optical conductor;

flexible shaft; and

medical element.

6. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, wherein an inner wall of said perforation includes a biocompatible coating.

7. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 6, wherein said biocompatible coating is selected from the list consisting of:

Parylene;

polyimide;

Teflon; and

drug.

8. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 6, wherein said biocompatible coating has a property selected from the list consisting of:

hydrophilic; and

hydrophobic.

9. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, wherein an electric shield encompasses said at least one winding.

10. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 9, wherein said electric shield is in form of a foil made of an electrically conductive material.

11. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 9, wherein said electric shield is in form of a complete cylinder.

12. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 9, wherein said electric shield is in form of a partial cylinder.

13. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 9, wherein said electric shield is in form of an electrically conductive coating.

14. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, wherein said at least one winding are coupled together by at least one electrical conductor.

15. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 1, being incorporated with a medical positioning system for determining said position and orientation.

16. Electromagnetic field detector located within a catheter, for determining the position and orientation of the catheter according to an electromagnetic field generated in the vicinity of the catheter, the electromagnetic field detector comprising:

a ferrous core having at least one adaptive feature for connecting said ferrous core to a device, said device being incorporated with said catheter, said device having a mating feature to be connected to said adaptive feature; and

at least one winding wound around said ferrous core, said at least one winding producing a current according to said electromagnetic field,

wherein said ferrous core increases the sensitivity of said electromagnetic field detector to said electromagnetic field, by increasing a proportionality factor between said current and said electromagnetic field.

17. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 16, wherein said at least one adaptive feature is in form of at least one protrusion protruding from said ferrous core, and

wherein said mating feature is in form of at least one cavity, in a size and a shape to fit a respective one of said at least one protrusion.

18. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 17, wherein said at least one protrusion comprises two protrusions in form of two spaced apart opposing segments of a circle, thereby forming a notch between said two protrusions, and

wherein said mating feature is in form of a device protrusion, in a size and a shape to fit said notch.

19. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 16, wherein said at least one adaptive feature is in form of a perforation, and

wherein said mating feature is in form of a device protrusion, in a size and a shape to fit at least a portion of said perforation.

20. The electromagnetic field detector according to claim 16, wherein said device is selected from the list consisting of:

image detector;

intravascular ultrasound;

coherence tomography; and

magnetic resonance imaging.