Method of finding the source of and treating cardiac arrhythmias

• US 20070060829A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Carlo Pappone
• Original Assignee: Carlo Pappone
• Inventors: Pappone, Carlo
• Application Number:
  US11/478,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20070060829A1
• 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 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/364 Detecting abnormal ECG interval, e.g. extrasystoles, ectopic heartbeats

Abstract

A method of mapping ventricular arrhythmias in a subject includes placing a plurality of ECG leads on the subject; triggering an arrhythmia with a pacing catheter, determining its location and recording the resulting ECG signals from the plurality of leads; successively navigating the electrode on a catheter to each of a plurality of points in the general location of the source of the arrhythmia site, applying electrical stimulation to each site via the electrode, and recording the resulting paced ECG; and comparing each paced ECG from each point with an ECG during the arrhythmia to identify the point where the paced ECG most closely corresponds to the ECG during arrhythmia.

Claims

1. A method of mapping ventricular arrhythmias in a subject, the method comprising:

placing a plurality of ECG leads on the subject;

triggering an arrhythmia with a pacing catheter, determining the location of the pacing catheter and recording the ECG signals from the plurality of leads;

successively navigating the electrode on a catheter to each of a plurality of points in the general location of the source of the arrhythmia site, applying electrical stimulation to each site via the electrode, and recording the resulting paced ECG;

comparing each paced ECG from each point with an ECG during the arrhythmia to identify the point where the paced ECG most closely corresponds to the ECG during arrhythmia.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of using the plurality of leads to determine a general location of the arrhythmia comprises locating each of the leads in a frame of reference;

identifying the general location of the site of the source of the arrhythmia by processing the signals from each lead and their relative locations.

3. The method according to claim 2 wherein the step of using the plurality of leads to determine the general location of the arrhythmia comprises calibrating the ECG leads by localizing pacing signals from known locations.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of successively navigating the electrode on a catheter to each a plurality of points is done with a remote navigation system.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein remote navigation system is a mechanical system that remotely orients the distal end of medical device.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the remote navigation system is a magnetic system that remotely orients the distal end of a medical device having a magnetically responsive element therein.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the stop of using the plurality of leads to determine a general location of the arrhythmia comprises locating each of the leads in the frame of reference of the remote navigation system;

identifying the general location of the site of the source of the arrhythmia by processing the signals from each lead and their relative locations.

8. The method according to claim 1 further comprising ablating tissue at the point to ablate tissue at the source of the arrhythmia.