Multi-Electrode Irrigated Balloon Catheter

• US 20080249463A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories)
• Inventors: Hata, Cary, Pappone, Carlo, Chen, Peter, De La Rama, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,764,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/101.05
• 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 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0034 characterized by elements which are assembled, connected or fused, e.g. splittable tubes, outer sheaths creating lumina or separate cores
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1093 having particular tip characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/003 characterized by features relating to least one lumen located at the distal part of the catheter, e.g. filters, plugs or valves catheter tips A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0071 Multiple separate lumens multiple separate lumens throughout the catheter A61M25/0026
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1002 characterised by balloon shape A61M25/1006, A61M25/1009 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A fluid delivery catheter configured to allow optimal fluid distribution through each electrode by varying the diameter of a catheter lumen is disclosed. Uniform or different fluid flow rates through longitudinally spaced apart elution holes may be achieved. Exemplary fluids for use with the catheter include a cooling fluid, a therapeutic fluid, and a medication.

Claims

1. An irrigated catheter comprising:

a catheter body having an exterior surface and at least one internal lumen with a varied diameter along a longitudinal length thereof for passage of a fluid;

a plurality of elution holes along the exterior surface and spaced from one another along the longitudinal length of the catheter body; and

a plurality of ducts in fluid communication with the lumen, each duct leading from the lumen to one of the elution holes;

wherein the diameter of the lumen is varied between at least two of the longitudinally spaced ducts to change a fluid pressure along the longitudinal length and regulate fluid flow through the spaced apart elution holes.

2. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, wherein the diameter is varied to produce a substantially uniform outflow rate of fluid in substantially all of the spaced apart elution holes.

3. The irrigated catheter of claim 1 further comprising at least one RF ablation electrode at a distal end of the catheter body, the RF electrode having an outer surface, the elution holes provided in the outer surface.

4. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, wherein the diameter is varied to produce a higher outflow rate of fluid through elution holes spaced closer to a distal end of the catheter body than through other elution holes spaced farther from the distal end of the catheter body.

5. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, wherein diameter is varied to produce a higher outflow rate of fluid through elution holes spaced farther from an end of the catheter body than through other elution holes spaced closer to the end of the catheter body.

6. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, wherein the diameter is varied to produce an overall uniform outflow rate in the spaced apart elution holes except at a predetermined location along the longitudinal axis, wherein the elution holes at the predetermined location has a flow rate different from the uniform outflow rate.

7. The irrigated catheter of claim 1 further comprising at least one inflatable balloon disposed on the catheter body.

8. The irrigated catheter of claim 7, wherein the at least one inflatable balloon is attached to less than 60% of a circumference of the catheter body.

9. The irrigated catheter of claim 8, wherein the at least one inflatable balloon is attached to less than 52% of a circumference of the catheter body.

10. The irrigated catheter of claim 7, wherein the at least one inflatable balloon has an inflated shape, wherein the inflated shape is a half-dome.

11. The irrigated catheter of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of balloons spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis, and where at least one of the balloons has an inflated size that is smaller than an inflated size of some of the other inflatable balloons.

12. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, wherein the diameter of the lumen decreases between the at least two longitudinally spaced ducts in a direction toward a distal end of the lumen.

14. The irrigated catheter of claim 7, wherein the plurality of spaced apart elution holes are disposed opposite the at least one balloon on the catheter body, such that the at least one inflatable balloon is disposed in a longitudinal section of the catheter body with more than one elution hole.

15. The irrigated catheter of claim 7, wherein the at least one inflatable balloon has an inflated shape, wherein the inflated shape has a smaller longitudinal cross sectional area towards a distal part of the balloon than a proximal part of the balloon.

22. The catheter of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ducts are each defined by an internal diameter that is approximately equal for each of plurality of ducts.

24. The irrigated catheter of claim 22, wherein the angle of the ducts with respect to the longitudinal axis is substantially equal.

25. The irrigated catheter of claim 22, further comprising a distal electrode disposed at a distal end of the catheter body, the distal electrode including a distal tip;

wherein the elution holes include a first elution hole and a second elution hole provided in the distal electrode, the first elution hole being longitudinally spaced from the second elution hole, the first and second elution holes being longitudinally spaced from the distal tip.

26. The irrigated catheter of claim 22, further comprising a distal electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter body;

wherein the elution holes include a plurality of first elution holes and a plurality of second elution holes provided in the distal electrode, the first elution holes having coplanar centers, the second elution holes having coplanar centers, the first elution holes being longitudinally spaced from the second elution holes.

27. The irrigated catheter of claim 22, further comprising a plurality of electrodes coupled to the distal region and spaced along a longitudinal length of the distal region of the catheter body;

wherein the elution holes are provided in the electrodes.

28. The irrigated catheter of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of inflatable balloons disposed on the distal portion and spaced along the longitudinal length of the distal portion of the catheter body.

29. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, further comprising a distal electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter body, the distal electrode including a distal tip;

wherein the elution holes include a first elution hole and a second elution hole provided in the distal electrode, the first elution hole being longitudinally spaced from the second elution hole, the first and second elution holes being longitudinally spaced from the distal tip; and

wherein the lumen has a varying diameter between the first elution hole and the second elution hole.

30. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, further comprising a distal electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter body;

wherein the elution holes include a plurality of first elution holes and a plurality of second elution holes provided in the distal electrode, the first elution holes having coplanar centers, the second elution holes having coplanar centers, the first elution holes being longitudinally spaced from the second elution holes; and

wherein the lumen has a varying diameter between the first elution holes and the second elution holes.

31. The irrigated catheter of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electrodes coupled to the catheter body and spaced along the longitudinal length of the catheter body;

wherein the elution holes are provided in the electrodes.

13. (canceled)

16. A fluid delivery catheter, the catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body having a distal portion;

at least one inflatable balloon disposed on one side of the distal portion;

a fluid delivery lumen having a flow constrictor that limits a flow of fluid in the lumen towards a distal end; and

a plurality of ducts in fluid communication with the lumen at longitudinally spaced apart locations, each of the plurality of ducts defining a fluid passage to an exterior of the catheter.

wherein the flow constrictor is disposed between at least two of the longitudinally spaced apart locations of the ducts.

17. The catheter of claim 16, wherein the flow constrictor is a tapered section in the lumen that decreases a lumen diameter.

18. The catheter of claim 16, wherein a plurality of inflatable balloons are disposed on one side of the distal portion of the catheter and spaced along a longitudinal length of the distal portion of the catheter body.

19. The catheter of claim 18, wherein the most distal balloon is the smallest of the plurality of balloons, and all balloons are substantially half-spherical when fully inflated.

20. The catheter of claim 18, further comprising a plurality of electrodes coupled to the distal portion and spaced along the longitudinal length of the distal portion of the catheter body.

21. The catheter of claim 20, wherein the elution holes are provided in the electrodes.

23. An irrigated catheter comprising:

a catheter body comprising a distal region; and

an irrigation path extending through the distal region, the irrigation path comprising;

a fluid delivery lumen extending along a longitudinal axis;

a plurality of ducts in fluid communication with the lumen, the ducts arranged in groups spaced apart from one another along the longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of elution holes spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis, each of the elution holes in fluid communication with one of the ducts;

wherein the irrigation path is configured to produce a flow rate pattern through the elution holes in the distal region, the flow rate pattern determined by selecting a size of the fluid delivery lumen and varying one or more of the following;

a diameter of the lumen along the longitudinal axis,

a distance between the spaced apart groups of ducts along the longitudinal axis,

sizes of the ducts, and

angles of the ducts with respect to the longitudinal axis.