Locatable Catheter

• US 20110207997A1
• Filed: 04/06/2010
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: superDimension, Ltd. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Zur, Oded, Greenburg, Benny, Averbuch, Dorian
• Granted Patent: US 8,611,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3983 Reference marker arrangements for use with image guided surgery
• 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 5/05 Detecting, measuring or recording for diagnosis by means of electric currents or magnetic fields; Measuring using microwaves or radio waves impedance plethysmography A61B5/0295; measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof A61B5/11; detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers

Abstract

A catheter having a sensor at a distal end thereof, useable to detect and create signals from an electromagnetic field. The sensor is constructed and arranged to leave a lumen of the catheter open such that it may be used to pass instruments therethrough once a target location has been reached.

Claims

1. A locatable medical instrument insertable through a working channel of a bronchoscope comprising:

an elongate flexible sheath defining a longitudinal lumen extending therethrough and having a distal end;

a plurality of coils surrounding said lumen proximate said distal tip, each of said coils defining a plane and having a center point lying in said plane;

wherein each of said planes defined by said plurality of coils intersects with the other planes at said center point;

wherein each of said coils is capable of generating a signal when placed in an electromagnetic field, said signal indicative of a strength of said electromagnetic field.

2. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein one of said planes defined by said plurality of coils is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said sheath.

3. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein two of said planes defined by said plurality of coils are approximately perpendicular to each other.

4. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein said plurality of coils comprises three coils.

5. The locatable medical instrument of claim 4 wherein one of said planes defined by said plurality of coils is approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said sheath.

6. The locatable medical instrument of claim 5 wherein two of said planes defined by said plurality of coils are approximately perpendicular to each other.

7. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein none of said plurality of coils resides within said lumen of said sheath.

8. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of coils is embedded within a wall of said sheath.

9. The locatable medical instrument of claim 1 wherein at least one of said plurality of coils is attached to an outside surface of said sheath.

10. A system for navigating through a branched structure comprising:

a sheath having a distal end and defining a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough;

a first electromagnetic field sensor comprising at least one coil, each of said at least on coils having a common center point, located near said distal end of said sheath;

a probe extendable through said sheath and having a second electromagnetic field sensor embedded within a distal tip thereof;

an electromagnetic field generation device, capable of creating electromagnetic fields having a plurality of frequencies and able to induce signals in said first and second sensors.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said first electromagnetic field sensor comprises a six degree-of-freedom sensor.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said second electromagnetic field sensor comprises a six degree-of-freedom sensor.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said electromagnetic field generator creates electromagnetic fields of at least four frequencies, three of said frequencies detected by said second electromagnetic field sensor, thereby allowing said second electromagnetic field sensor to generate six degree-of-freedom location information.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said first electromagnetic field sensor comprises at least one coil surrounding said lumen and defining a plane that is approximately perpendicular thereto.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said first electromagnetic field sensor comprises at least two coils approximately perpendicular to each other.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein one of said at least four frequencies is detected by said first electromagnetic field sensor, thereby allowing said first electromagnetic field sensor to generate a signal including location information.

17. A method for accessing a target in a branched structure comprising:

providing an electromagnetic field generator defining a sensing volume containing said branched structure;

advancing a probe through said branched structure, said probe including an electromagnetic field sensor capable of sensing electromagnetic fields generated by said generator and creating locations signals as a result;

using said locations signals to locate said target;

advancing a sheath over said probe to said target, said sheath having an electromagnetic field sensor at a distal end thereof that is capable of sensing electromagnetic fields generated by said generator and creating locations signals as a result;

removing said probe proximally from said sheath;

monitoring a location of said sheath using said locations signals, to ensure the distal end of said sheath remains at said target;

accessing said target with one or more instruments by passing said one or more instruments through said sheath.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of monitoring a location of said sheath comprises reading signals from said sensor on said sheath at a frequency that is independent of frequencies of signals from said sensor on said probe.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein said step of monitoring a location of said sheath comprises reading signals from said sensor on said sheath at a frequency that is the same as frequencies of signals from said sensor on said probe.