TISSUE VISUALIZATION CATHETER WITH IMAGING SYSTEMS INTEGRATION

• US 20090030276A1
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Voyage Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: SAADAT, Vahid, MALCHANO, Zachary J., PEH, Ruey-Feng
• Application Number:
  US12/180,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20090030276A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/112
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00089 Hoods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00165 with light-conductive means, e.g. fibre optics A61B1/07 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/3137 for examination of the interior of blood vessels

Abstract

Tissue visualization catheters with imaging systems integrated within the imaging catheter system are described. The tissue-imaging apparatus relates to devices and/or methods to provide visualization of tissue regions within a body lumen such as a heart, which is filled with blood flowing dynamically therethrough. High-resolution images can be obtained by miniaturizing and integrating solid state cameras into the tissue visualization catheter in a number of different off-axis configurations. One or more light sources can also be optionally integrated with the solid state imagers to illuminate the tissue from different angles.

Claims

1. A solid state electronic imaging system, comprising:

a lens assembly;

an electronic imaging sensor positioned adjacent to the lens assembly for receiving an image from the lens assembly; and

a video processing assembly electrically coupled to the imaging sensor via a flexible connector,

wherein the imaging system is sized to be positioned within or along an inner surface of an imaging hood which is reconfigurable between a delivery profile and a deployment profile.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a prism positioned distal to the lens assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are aligned in parallel with the lens assembly.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are planarly aligned with respect to one another.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one supplemental board assembly interconnected with the imaging sensor and/or video processing assembly.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one light source integrated with the imaging system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the at least one light source comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are coupled in series.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are positioned in series along the inner surface of the imaging hood.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are positioned radially along the inner surface of the imaging hood.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are positioned radially along the inner surface.

11. A tissue visualization system, comprising:

a deployment catheter having a distal end;

an imaging assembly extending from the distal end and defining an inner surface and an outer surface and which is configurable between a delivery profile and a deployment profile, wherein the imaging assembly defines an open area in fluid communication with a fluid lumen defined through the catheter;

an electronic imaging assembly positioned within or along the inner surface of the imaging assembly such that a tissue region defined by the open area is imaged by the imaging assembly, and

wherein the imaging assembly comprises an electronic imaging sensor and a video processing assembly coupled to the imaging sensor via a flexible connector such that the imaging assembly is flexibly configured along the inner surface.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the deployment catheter is articulatable.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the deployment catheter is robotically controlled.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the imaging assembly comprises a hood defining at least one aperture through a distal membrane over the open area

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the imaging assembly comprises an inflatable balloon member.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one supplemental board assembly interconnected with the imaging sensor and/or video processing assembly.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising at least one light source integrated with the imaging assembly.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the at least one light source comprises a light emitting diode.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are coupled in series.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the imaging sensor and video processing assembly are positioned in series along the inner surface.

22. A method of visualizing a tissue region, comprising:

intravascularly advancing an imaging assembly extending from a distal end of a deployment catheter to a tissue region of interest;

reconfiguring the imaging assembly from a delivery profile to a deployment profile such that the imaging assembly defines an open area in fluid communication with a fluid lumen defined through the catheter;

positioning the open area against the tissue region of interest such that blood is displaced from the open area; and

visualizing the tissue region of interest via an off-axis electronic imaging assembly positioned within or along an inner surface of the imaging assembly, wherein the imaging assembly comprises an electronic imaging sensor and a video processing assembly coupled to the imaging sensor via a flexible connector such that the imaging assembly is flexibly configured along the inner surface.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein intravascularly advancing comprises articulating the imaging assembly via the catheter.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein articulating comprises robotically articulating the imaging assembly.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein reconfiguring comprises configuring an imaging hood from a delivery configuration to a deployment configuration.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein reconfiguring comprises inflating an expandable balloon member from a delivery configuration to an expanded deployment configuration.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein positioning comprises displacing the blood between an expanded balloon and the tissue region of interest.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein positioning comprises displacing the blood from the open area via a transparent fluid introduced through the fluid lumen.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the imaging assembly is reconfigured from a collapsed profile to an expanded profile upon reconfiguring the imaging assembly.