FORCE-SENSING CATHETER WITH BONDED CENTER STRUT
First Claim
22-1. The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a location sensor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A force-sensing catheter for diagnosing or treating the vessels found within a body or body space includes a center strut that is bonded, preferably thermally, along its longitudinal axis with the thermoplastic tubular member within which it is housed. The tubular member preferably has three layers: an inner layer, a braided layer and an outer layer. One or more semiconductor or metallic foil strain gages are affixed to the center strut in order to provide a measure of the bending and torsional forces on the distal tip of the catheter. Temperature compensation is achieved by having a temperature sensor near the strain gages and calibrating the catheter over a range of temperatures.
277 Citations
35 Claims
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22-1. The catheter of claim 1 further comprising a location sensor.
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30. A catheter for use in a vessel comprising:
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an elongate tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and having a first lumen disposed therein; a tip electrode disposed at the distal end of the tubular member; a center strut extending from near the proximal end of the tip electrode through a deflectable distal portion of the elongate tubular member and having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge; a molded coupling having a distal portion adapted to receive a portion of the proximal end of the tip electrode and having a proximal portion having at least one slot adapted to receive at least one of the first or second longitudinal edges of the center strut; wherein the center strut is bonded to the elongate tubular member substantially along entire length of the first longitudinal edge and the second longitudinal edge to create an inseparable composite structure of the center strut and the elongate tubular member and, at least one strain gage is affixed to the center strut for strut for measuring force near the distal end of the tubular member. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification