MULTI-RATE FLUID FLOW AND VARIABLE POWER DELIVERTY FOR ABLATION ELECTRODE ASSEMBLIES USED IN CATHETER ABLATION PROCEDURES

• US 20120165812A1
• Filed: 06/02/2011
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Christian, Steven C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,855,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/06 caused by chemical reaction , e.g. moxaburners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00744 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00761 Duration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00863 Fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0212 using an instrument inserted into a body lumen, e.g. catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1861 with an instrument inserted into a body lumen or cavity, e.g. a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/041 Controlled or regulated

Abstract

A system for providing irrigation fluid during ablation of tissue includes a catheter, an electrode assembly, at least one thermal sensor adapted to be connected to the catheter, and a control system. The electrode assembly is adapted to be connected to an ablation generator. The thermal sensor is adapted to be operatively connected to an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU receives as an input temperature measurement data from the thermal sensor; determines a power delivery rate value for the ablation generator responsive to the temperature measurement data; and outputs the power delivery rate value. The control system also delivers irrigation fluid to the irrigated catheter at a first flow rate in a first time period and at a second flow rate in a second time period that is temporally after the first time period. The second flow rate is at least half of the first flow rate.

Claims

1. A system for providing irrigation fluid during cardiac ablation of targeted tissue, the system comprising:

an irrigated catheter comprising;

a catheter shaft having a fluid lumen;

an electrode assembly adapted to be connected to the catheter shaft and adapted to be electrically connected to an ablation generator that is configured to deliver energy to the electrode assembly; and

at least one thermal sensor adapted to be disposed within the irrigated catheter and adapted to be operatively connected to an electronic control unit (ECU) that is also operatively connected to a source of irrigation fluid and the ablation generator, wherein the ECU is configured to;

receive as an input temperature measurement data from the at least one thermal sensor;

determine a power delivery rate value for the ablation generator responsive to the temperature measurement data; and

output the power delivery rate value; and

a control system configured to;

control the delivery of irrigation fluid from the source of irrigation fluid to the irrigated catheter, wherein the control system delivers irrigation fluid to the irrigated catheter at a first flow rate in a first time period and at a second flow rate in a second time period, wherein the second time period is temporally after the first time period, and wherein the second flow rate is at least half of the first flow rate; and

receive the power delivery rate value and to control energy delivery of the ablation generator based at least in part on the power delivery rate value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first time period is between about 10 seconds and about 15 seconds.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ablation generator is configured to deliver increased power during the first time period as compared to the second time period.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate is based at least in part on electrophysiological data obtained during cardiac ablation and wherein the electrophysiological data comprises the temperature of a tip of the irrigated catheter, the temperature of targeted tissue undergoing cardiac ablation, the electrical impedance of targeted tissue undergoing cardiac ablation, or a combination thereof.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to deliver irrigation fluid to the irrigated catheter that is at or above about 37°

C.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first time period substantially coincides with the beginning of an ablation cycle.

7. A method of delivering fluid to an irrigated catheter for cardiac ablation, the method comprising:

delivering irrigation fluid within at least a portion of the irrigated catheter for a first time period, wherein the irrigation fluid has a first flow rate in the first time period;

delivering irrigation fluid within at least a portion of the irrigated catheter for a second time period, wherein the irrigation fluid has a second flow rate in the second time period,

wherein the second time period is temporally after the first time period, and

wherein the second flow rate is at least about half of the first flow rate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first time period is between about 10 seconds and about 15 seconds.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein an ablation generator is adapted to be electrically connected to at least a portion of the irrigated catheter and wherein the ablation generator is configured to deliver increased power during the first time period as compared to the second time period.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one thermal sensor is adapted to be disposed within the irrigated catheter, and wherein the ablation generator is configured to deliver power based at least in part on temperature data obtained from the thermal sensor.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate is based at least in part on electrophysiological data obtained during cardiac ablation and wherein the electrophysiological data comprises the temperature of a tip of the irrigated catheter, the temperature of targeted tissue undergoing cardiac ablation, the electrical impedance of targeted tissue undergoing cardiac ablation, or a combination thereof.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the irrigation fluid delivered to at least a portion of the irrigated catheter for a first time period is at or above about 37°

C.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first time period substantially coincides with the beginning of an ablation cycle.

14. A system for delivering power during cardiac ablation of targeted tissue, the system comprising:

a catheter;

an ablation generator adapted to be electrically connected to at least a portion of the catheter, the ablation generator configured to deliver energy to at least the portion of the catheter; and

a control system configured to control energy delivery of the ablation generator, wherein the control system is adapted to deliver energy at a first power level in a first time period and at a second power level in a second time period, wherein the second time period is temporally after the first time period, and wherein the second power level has a magnitude of at least about one third of the first power level.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first time period is between about 10 seconds and about 15 seconds.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the first power level comprises between approximately 30 Watts to 40 Watts.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the second power level comprises between approximately 10 Watts to 15 Watts.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the ablation generator is configured to deliver energy at a constant power level during the first time period.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the ablation generator is configured to deliver energy during the second time period based at least in part on a temperature of a tip of the catheter or a temperature of the targeted tissue, or a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising a source of irrigation fluid, wherein the control system is configured to deliver irrigation fluid to the catheter at a first flow rate in the first time period and at a second flow rate in the second time period, wherein the first flow rate is at least twice the second flow rate.