Apparatus and method for positioning and retention of catheter

• US 20100198041A1
• Filed: 04/28/2008
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sutton, William M., Puryear, Harry A., Christian, Steven C., Kauphusman, James V.
• Application Number:
  US12/597,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20100198041A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/375
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00053 Mapping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00703 correcting for movement of heart, e.g. ECG-triggered
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22069 Immobilising; Stabilising
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3486 Balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3488 Fixation to inner organ or inner body tissue
• 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 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• 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 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0074 Dynamic characteristics of the catheter tip, e.g. openable, closable, expandable or deformable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/008 Strength or flexibility characteristics of the catheter tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0082 Catheter tip comprising a tool
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence

Abstract

A catheter for anchoring an electrode in a coronary sinus includes an elongate catheter body adapted to be inserted into a coronary sinus and at least one electrode on the catheter body. The elongate catheter body also includes at least one anchor movable between an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration. When the anchor is in the undeployed configuration, the catheter may be introduced into and removed from the coronary sinus. When the anchor is in the deployed configuration, the anchor engages a tissue surface of the coronary sinus to inhibit movement between the catheter body and the coronary sinus, preferably without completely occluding the coronary sinus. The anchor may be a section of the catheter body having an expandable axial cross-section, an expandable member mounted on the catheter body, one or more wire anchors, or a flexible section of the catheter body.

Claims

1. A catheter for anchoring an electrode in a coronary sinus, the catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted to be inserted into a coronary sinus, the elongate catheter body including an anchor section having an expandable axial cross-section;

at least one electrode on the catheter body; and

an actuation mechanism operably coupled to the anchor section to actuate the anchor section between an undeployed configuration, wherein the expandable axial cross-section of the anchor section is in a collapsed state, and a deployed configuration, wherein the expandable axial cross-section of the anchor section is in an expanded state,

wherein, when the anchor section is in the deployed configuration, the expandable axial cross-section engages a tissue surface of the coronary sinus to inhibit movement between the catheter body and the coronary sinus without completely occluding the coronary sinus.

2. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned distally of the anchor section.

3. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned proximally of the anchor section.

4. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode is positioned on the anchor section.

5. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the catheter body includes at least one perfusion passage having a first opening positioned distally of the anchor section and a second opening positioned proximally of the anchor section.

6. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a tension member, wherein placing the tension member in tension causes the anchor section to assume the deployed configuration.

7. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the anchor section comprises at least one expandable member mounted to an outer surface of the catheter body.

8. The catheter according to claim 7, wherein the at least one expandable member comprises at least one balloon.

9. The catheter according to claim 7, wherein the at least one expandable member comprises at least one wire basket.

10. A catheter for anchoring an electrode in a coronary sinus, the catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body adapted to be inserted into a coronary sinus;

at least one wire anchor coupled to the catheter body; and

at least one electrode on the catheter body,

wherein the at least one wire anchor is movable between an undeployed configuration, wherein the catheter body is movable relative to the coronary sinus, and a deployed configuration, wherein the at least one wire anchor engages a tissue surface of the coronary sinus to inhibit movement between the catheter body and the coronary sinus without completely occluding the coronary sinus.

11. The catheter according to claim 10, further comprising at least one wire lock that couples the at least one wire anchor to the catheter body.

12. The catheter according to claim 10, wherein the catheter body includes a sidewall having at least one opening therethrough, and wherein the at least one wire anchor comprises at least one wire anchor that deploys through the at least one opening.

13. The catheter according to claim 12, wherein the at least one wire anchor comprises at least one wire loop.

14. The catheter according to claim 12, wherein the at least one wire anchor comprises at least one pigtail wire anchor.

15. The catheter according to claim 10, wherein the at least one wire anchor comprises at least one wire anchor helically wound about the catheter body.

16. The catheter according to claim 10, wherein the catheter body includes an opening at a distal end thereof, and wherein the at least one wire anchor comprises at least one wire basket deployable through the opening at the distal end of the catheter body.

17. A catheter for anchoring an electrode in a coronary sinus, the catheter comprising:

an elongate catheter body having a central axis and a flexible anchor segment,

the flexible anchor segment being movable between a deployed configuration, wherein the flexible anchor segment is deviated from the central axis of the catheter body to engage a tissue surface of the coronary sinus such that relative movement between the catheter body and the coronary sinus is inhibited without completely occluding the coronary sinus, and an undeployed configuration, wherein the flexible anchor segment is generally collinear with the central axis of the catheter body to introduce the catheter into the coronary sinus; and

at least one electrode on the catheter body.

18. The catheter according to claim 17, wherein the flexible anchor segment is biased into the undeployed configuration, and further comprising a tension member, wherein placing the tension member in tension moves the flexible anchor segment into the deployed configuration.

19. The catheter according to claim 17, wherein the flexible anchor segment is positioned at a distal end of the catheter body.

20. The catheter according to claim 17, wherein the flexible anchor segment is positioned within an intermediate section of the catheter body.

21. A method of generating a cardiac geometry, the method comprising:

providing a coronary sinus catheter having an anchor structure and an electrode thereon;

introducing the coronary sinus catheter into the coronary sinus;

deploying the anchor structure to engage a tissue surface of the coronary sinus, thereby inhibiting relative movement between the coronary sinus catheter and the coronary sinus; and

conducting a cardiac mapping operation using the electrode on the coronary sinus catheter as a reference electrode.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of deploying the anchor structure to engage a tissue surface of the coronary sinus comprises expanding an axial cross-section of at least a portion of the coronary sinus catheter.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of deploying the anchor structure to engage a tissue surface of the coronary sinus comprises deploying a wire anchor from the coronary sinus catheter.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing a perfusion pathway through the coronary sinus from a distal side of the anchor structure to a proximal side of the anchor structure.