Radio frequency ablation servo catheter and method

• US 20060015096A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hauck, John A., Olson, Eric, Johnson, Mark T., Schweitzer, Jeff A., Burrell, Jeff
• Granted Patent: US 7,632,265 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 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• 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

Abstract

A system that interfaces with a workstation endocardial mapping system allows for the rapid and successful ablation of cardiac tissue. The system allows a physician to see a representation of the physical location of a catheter in a representation of an anatomic model of the patient'"'"'s heart. The workstation is the primary interface with the physician. A servo catheter having pull wires and pull rings for guidance and a servo catheter control system are interfaced with the workstation. Servo catheter control software may run on the workstation. The servo catheter is coupled to an RF generator. The physician locates a site for ablation therapy and confirms the location of the catheter. Once the catheter is located at the desired ablation site, the physician activates the RF generator to deliver the therapy.

Claims

1. A catheter system comprising:

a. a catheter having a catheter body and having a distal end and a proximal end;

b. an ablation electrode at said distal end and a location electrode proximate said distal end;

c. said catheter having a plurality of pull wires within said catheter body;

d. each pull wire having a distal end and a proximal end;

e. two or more pull rings located within said body near said distal tip;

f. each pull wire distal end coupled to a pull ring;

g. servo translation mechanism coupled to each of said pull wire proximal ends;

whereby manipulation of said pull wires by said servos alters the shape and location of said catheter;

h. an interactive catheter location system determine the location of the catheter in space and to define a target site for the catheter;

i. control software to automatically move the catheter from said location to said target site.