CATHETER WITH HELICAL END SECTION FOR VESSEL ABLATION

• US 20130304062A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Israel Ltd. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Chan, Tina, Ditter, Tom A., Fuimaono, Kristine, Grunewald, Debby, Jimenez, Eduardo, Pike, Robert W., Zirkle, Michael O.
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2017/00053 Mapping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00738 part of the tool being offset with respect to a main axis, e.g. for better view for the surgeon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00955 thermoplastic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00166 Multiple lumina
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 Spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference

Abstract

A catheter includes an elongated body, a distal assembly with a shape-memory member defining a generally helical form, and a control handle. The control handle may be adapted to actuate a deflection puller wire for deflecting a portion of the elongated body and a contraction wire for contracting the generally helical form. The generally helical form carries irrigated ablation ring electrodes. A nitinol support member with shape memory extends through the distal assembly and into the elongated body to provide the helical form. The support member may have a varying stiffness along its length, for example, a decreasing stiffness toward a distal end of the support member. The support member can also be hollow so that it can receive a mandrel whose stiffness is greater than that of the support member.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and proximal and distal ends;

a distal assembly mounted on the distal end of the elongated body, the distal assembly having a shape-memory support member and having a helical form;

at least one irrigated ablation ring electrode mounted on the distal assembly; and

a control handle mounted at the proximal end of the elongated body.

2. A catheter of claim 1 further comprising a contraction wire extending through the elongated body and the distal assembly, wherein the control handle includes a first control member configured to actuate the contraction wire to contract the helical form.

3. A catheter of claim 1 further comprising a deflection wire extending through the elongated body, wherein the control handle includes a second control member configured to actuate the deflection wire to deflect a portion of the elongated body.

4. A catheter of claim 1 wherein the shape-memory support member has a square cross-section.

5. A catheter of claim 4 wherein the shape memory support member width and length of the square between six and twelve thousandths of an inch

6. A catheter of claim 5 wherein the shape memory support member width and length of the square are nine thousandths of an inch.

7. A catheter of claim 1, wherein the shape memory support member has a lumen and further comprising a mandrel adapted for insertion through the lumen in the shape-memory support member, wherein the mandrel has a different form from the helical form.

8. A catheter of claim 1 wherein the irrigated ablation ring electrode has at least one aperture configured to pass fluid from inside the ring electrode to outside the ring electrode in a radial direction.

9. A catheter of claim 1 wherein the irrigated ablation ring electrode has at least one aperture configured to pass fluid from inside the ring electrode to outside the ring electrode in an axial direction.

10. A catheter of claim 1 wherein the at least one ring electrode is connected to an electrical lead capable of providing signal indicative of a measure of temperature.

11. A catheter of claim 10 wherein the electrical lead is connected to a thermocouple mounted on the ring electrode near the outer diameter of the ring electrode and near the outer diameter of the helical form.

12. A catheter of claim 1 further comprising a luer hub near the control handle and an irrigation lumen that extends from the luer hub distally through the elongated body and into the distal member to provide irrigation fluid to the ring electrode.

13. A catheter of claim 12 wherein the luer hub is attached to the control handle by an irrigation side arm having a lumen and the irrigation lumen passes through the side arm the side arm lumen into the control handle.

14. A catheter of claim 1 comprising five ring electrodes.

15. A catheter of claim 1 wherein the shape memory support member extends proximally of the distal assembly into the elongate body.

16. A catheter of claim 15 wherein the shape memory support member extends proximally of the distal assembly into the elongate body approximately 25 millimeters.

17. A catheter comprising:

an elongated body having a longitudinal axis;

a distal assembly distal the elongated body, the distal assembly having a hollow support member defining a helical form;

at least one electrode mounted on the distal assembly;

a control handle proximal the elongated body; and

a mandrel defining a second predetermined form, the mandrel being adapted for insertion into the hollow support member.

18. A catheter of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined form of the distal assembly has a greater curvature and the second predetermined form of the mandrel has a lesser curvature.

19. A catheter of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined form has an on-axis configuration such that a central longitudinal axis of the first predetermined form is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated body.

20. A catheter of claim 17, wherein the first predetermined form of the distal assembly has an off-edge configuration such that the predetermined form has a central longitudinal axis that is parallel without axial alignment with a longitudinal axis of the elongated body.

21. A catheter of claim 17, wherein the hollow support member includes a hollow strand tubing.

22. A catheter of claim 17, wherein the hollow support member includes a tubular member with a spiral cut along its length.

23. A catheter of claim 22, wherein the spiral cut includes an interlocking pattern.

24. A catheter comprising:

an elongated shaft having a longitudinal axis;

a distal assembly distal the elongated body, the distal member having a shape-memory support member and a generally helical form when unconstrained;

at least five irrigated ablation ring electrodes mounted on the generally helical form each electrode having a length;

a control handle proximal the elongated body; and

,

wherein the irrigated ablation ring electrodes are mounted a distance apart which is greater than the length of the electrodes.

25. The catheter of claim 24 wherein the helical form has an on-axis configuration such that the central longitudinal axis of the helical form is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated body.

26. The catheter of claim 24 wherein the distal assembly includes a multi-lumen tube having an irrigation lumen, a nitinol wire lumen for the shape memory support member and a lead wire lumen.

27. The catheter of claim 24 wherein the shape memory support member is a nitinol wire having a square cross-sectional shape.

28. The catheter of claim 24 wherein the support member is a nitinol wire having a cross-sectional area of approximately.

29. The catheter of claim 24 wherein the ring electrode has an outer diameter of 2 mm at the middle and an outer diameter of 1.7 mm at the ends.

30. The catheter of claim 24 wherein there is a breach hole from the irrigation lumen through the wall of the multi-lumen tube through which irrigation fluid may pass from the irrigation lumen to an electrode.

31. A catheter of claim 27 wherein the shape memory support member extends proximally of the distal assembly into the elongate body.

32. A catheter of claim 31 wherein the shape memory support member extends proximally of the distal assembly into the elongate body approximately 25 millimeters.

33. A catheter of claim 26 further comprising a luer hub near the control handle and an irrigation lumen that extends from the luer hub distally through the elongated body and into the irrigation lumen in the multi-lumen tube to provide irrigation fluid to the ring electrodes.