IMPEDANCE DEVICES AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME TO OBTAIN LUMINAL ORGAN MEASUREMENTS

• US 20140200428A1
• Filed: 03/16/2014
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3DT Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: 3DT Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Kassab, Ghassan S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,462,960 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/373
• 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 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00648 using more than one sensed parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/001 having means for irrigation and/or aspiration of substances to and/or from the surgical site A61B2018/00029 and A61B2018/1472 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0217 Electrolyte containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02158 provided with two or more sensor elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 with a balloon

Abstract

Impedance devices and methods of using the same to obtain luminal organ measurements. In at least one embodiment of an impedance device of the present disclosure, the impedance device comprises an elongated body having a distal body end, and a first electrode located along the elongated body at or near the distal body end, the first electrode configured to obtain one or more conductance values within a mammalian luminal organ within an electric field, wherein a measured parameter of the mammalian luminal organ can be calculated based in part upon the one or more conductance values obtained by the first electrode.

Claims

1. An impedance device, comprising:

an elongated body having a distal body end; and

a first electrode located along the elongated body at or near the distal body end, the first electrode configured to obtain one or more conductance values within a mammalian luminal organ within an electric field;

wherein a measured parameter of the mammalian luminal organ can be calculated based in part upon the one or more conductance values obtained by the first electrode.

2. The impedance device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is configured to operate as an excitation electrode and a detection electrode.

3. The impedance device of claim 2, wherein the first electrode is configured to generate the electric field with an external electrode within a mammalian body when the external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body is positioned upon or within the mammalian body and when the first electrode and the external electrode are activated.

4. The impedance device of claim 3, wherein the first electrode is configured to detect the electric field generated by the first electrode and the external electrode.

5. The impedance device of claim 3, further comprising:

a second electrode positioned along the elongated body, wherein the second electrode is configured to detect the electric field generated by the first electrode and the external electrode.

6. The impedance device of claim 5, wherein the first electrode is configured to generate the electric field with a first external electrode within a mammalian body when the first external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body is positioned upon or within the mammalian body and when the first electrode and the external electrode are activated.

7. The impedance device of claim 6, wherein the second electrode is configured to detect the electric field with a second external electrode within the mammalian body when the second external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body is positioned upon or within the mammalian body.

8. The impedance device of claim 5, wherein a known distance between the first electrode and the second electrode is between 0.5 mm and 1 mm, inclusive, and wherein the measured parameter is also calculated based in part upon the known distance.

9. The impedance device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode is configured to generate the electric field with an external electrode within a mammalian body when the external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body is positioned upon or within the mammalian body and when the first electrode and the external electrode are activated.

10. The impedance device of claim 9, further comprising:

a second electrode and a third electrode each positioned along the elongated body, the second electrode and the third electrode configured to detect the electric field generated by the first electrode and the external electrode.

11. An impedance system, comprising:

an elongated body having a distal body end and a first electrode located along the elongated body at or near the distal body end, the first electrode configured to obtain one or more conductance values within a mammalian luminal organ within an electric field; and

a first external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body;

wherein a measured parameter of the mammalian luminal organ can be calculated based in part upon the one or more conductance values obtained by the first electrode within the electric field generated by the first electrode and the first external electrode.

12. The impedance system of claim 11, wherein the first electrode and the first external electrode are each configured to operate as an excitation electrode and a detection electrode.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first external electrode comprises part of device selected from the group consisting of a patch, a sheath, and a clip.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a second electrode positioned along the elongated body, wherein the second electrode is configured to detect the electric field.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a second external electrode that is not coupled to the elongated body;

wherein the second electrode and the second external electrode are configured to detect the electric field within a mammalian body when the second external electrode is positioned upon or within the mammalian body.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising a third electrode positioned along the elongated body, wherein the third electrode is configured to detect the electric field with the second electrode.

17. A method of using an impedance device, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing at least part of an impedance device into a mammalian luminal organ at a first location, the impedance device comprising;

an elongated body having a distal body end, and

a first electrode located along the elongated body at or near the distal body end, the first electrode configured to obtain one or more conductance values within a mammalian luminal organ within an electric field;

providing electrical current to the first electrode and a first external electrode not coupled to the elongated body to generate the electric field, the first external electrode positioned upon or within a mammalian body having the mammalian luminal organ;

obtaining at least one conductance value using the impedance device within the electric field; and

calculating a measured parameter of the mammalian luminal organ based in part upon the at least one conductance value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the measured parameter is selected from the group consisting of a luminal organ diameter and a luminal organ cross-sectional area, and wherein the step of obtaining is performed in the presence of a bolus of an injected fluid having a known conductivity different than that of blood.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of obtaining is performed when the first electrode is at a first location within the mammalian luminal organ, and wherein the method further comprises the following steps to be performed after the step of obtaining the at least one conductance value:

moving the first electrode of the impedance device to a second location within the mammalian luminal organ;

obtaining at least another conductance value using the impedance device within a field selected from the group consisting of the electric field and a second electric field; and

calculating a second measured parameter of the mammalian luminal organ based in part upon the at least another conductance value.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of obtaining at least one conductance value is performed within an undiluted bolus of an injected first solution having a known conductivity differing from a blood conductivity, and wherein the step of obtaining the at least another conductance value also performed within a bolus selected from the undiluted bolus of the injected first solution and an undiluted bolus of an injected second solution having a known conductivity differing from the blood conductivity.