MULTIPLE STAGGERED ELECTRODES CONNECTED VIA FLEXIBLE JOINTS

• US 20140207136A1
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2012
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: DE LA RAMA, Alan, HATA, Cary
• Application Number:
  US13/886,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20140207136A1
• 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 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure

Abstract

An ablation catheter includes an electrode assembly having a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of spines, which include a distal set of spines each having a distal end connected to a spine distal junction and a proximal end connected to a first joint, and a proximal set of spines each having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the catheter body and a distal end connected to the first joint or a second joint. The spines include electrodes. Zero or more additional sets of spines are connected between the distal set and proximal set, such that neighboring sets of spines are connected by a joint. Each joint is flexible to permit bending along the longitudinal axis. The electrode assembly is movable between a collapsed arrangement and an expanded arrangement with the intermediate segments of the spines in the expanded arrangement moving outwardly with respect to the collapsed arrangement.

Claims

1. An ablation catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; and

an electrode assembly connected to the catheter body, the electrode assembly comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of spines, which include a distal set of spines each having a distal end connected to a spine distal junction and a proximal end connected to a first joint, and a proximal set of spines each having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the catheter body and a distal end connected to the first joint or a second joint;

wherein if the distal ends of the proximal set of spines are connected to a second joint, then the electrode assembly includes one or more sets of spines connected between the first joint and the second joint in a manner such that neighboring sets of spines spaced longitudinally from one another are connected by one of a plurality of joints that include the first and second joints, the plurality of joints each being flexible to permit bending along the longitudinal axis;

wherein each spine includes an intermediate segment, a proximal stiffness change between the proximal end and the intermediate segment of the spine, and a distal stiffness change between the distal end and the intermediate segment of the spine, wherein the spines include a plurality of ablation electrodes on the intermediate segments; and

wherein the electrode assembly is movable between a collapsed arrangement and an expanded arrangement with the intermediate segments of the spines in the expanded arrangement moving outwardly relative to the proximal ends and distal ends of the spines with respect to the collapsed arrangement.

2. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the joints each include a tubular member having one or more cuts generally in a circumferential direction, the one or more cuts being at least partially through a thickness of the tubular member.

3. The ablation catheter of claim 2,

wherein the one or more cuts are configured to reduce flexural rigidity of the joints to allow bending with substantially no reduction of longitudinal rigidity of the joints against longitudinal tension and compression.

4. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the joints each include a tubular member having multiple longitudinally spaced rows of cuts generally in a circumferential direction, the one or more cuts being at least partially through a thickness of the tubular member.

5. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the joints each comprise a coil having multiple turns around the longitudinal axis.

6. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the length of each spine is approximately equal to a length of a circumference of a circular cylinder around the longitudinal axis on which the spines are disposed in the collapsed position.

7. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein each ablation electrode is to be energized to produce an ablation zone;

wherein the ablation electrodes are distributed on the intermediate segments in a staggered configuration such that the ablation zones of the ablation electrodes span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and the ablation zones of all the ablation electrodes projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

8. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the ablation electrodes in the expanded arrangement contact surfaces to be ablated;

and

wherein the ablation electrodes in the expanded arrangement span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and all the ablation electrodes in the expanded arrangement projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

9. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein at least some of the ablation electrodes each have a lateral dimension along a circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis which is greater than a longitudinal dimension along the longitudinal direction.

10. The ablation catheter of claim 1, further comprising:

a tubing coupled with the electrode assembly; and

a mechanism disposed near the proximal end of the catheter body and coupled with the tubing to manipulate the tubing to move the electrode assembly between the collapsed arrangement and the expanded arrangement.

11. The ablation catheter of claim 10,

wherein the tubing is coupled with the spine distal junction of the electrode assembly, to pull the spine distal junction in the proximal direction to move the electrode assembly to the expanded arrangement and to push the spine distal junction in the distal direction to move the electrode assembly to the collapsed arrangement.

12. The ablation catheter of claim 10,

wherein the tubing is flexible in bending along the longitudinal axis.

13. An ablation catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; and

an ablation element assembly connected to the catheter body, the ablation element assembly comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced sets of spines, which include a distal set of spines each having a distal end connected to a spine distal junction and a proximal end connected to a first joint, and a proximal set of spines each having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the catheter body and a distal end connected to the first joint or a second joint;

wherein if the distal ends of the proximal set of spines are connected to a second joint, then the ablation element assembly includes one or more sets of spines connected between the first joint and the second joint in a manner such that neighboring sets of spines spaced longitudinally from one another are connected by one of a plurality of joints that include the first and second joints, the plurality of joints each being flexible to permit bending along the longitudinal axis;

wherein each spine includes an intermediate segment, a proximal stiffness change between the proximal end and the intermediate segment of the spine, and a distal stiffness change between the distal end and the intermediate segment of the spine, wherein the spines include a plurality of ablation elements on the intermediate segments; and

wherein the ablation element assembly is movable between a collapsed arrangement and an expanded arrangement with the intermediate segments of the spines in the expanded arrangement moving outwardly relative to the proximal ends and distal ends of the spines with respect to the collapsed arrangement.

14. The ablation catheter of claim 13,

wherein the joints each include a tubular member having one or more cuts generally in a circumferential direction, the one or more cuts being at least partially through a thickness of the tubular member.

15. The ablation catheter of claim 13,

wherein the joints each comprise a coil having multiple turns around the longitudinal axis.

16. The ablation catheter of claim 13,

wherein the length of each spine is approximately equal to a length of a circumference of a circular cylinder around the longitudinal axis on which the spines are disposed in the collapsed position.

17. The ablation catheter of claim 13,

wherein each ablation element is to be energized to produce an ablation zone;

wherein the ablation elements are distributed on the intermediate segments in a staggered configuration such that the ablation zones of the ablation elements span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and the ablation zones of all the ablation elements projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

18. The ablation catheter of claim 13,

wherein the ablation elements in the expanded arrangement contact surfaces to be ablated;

and

wherein the ablation elements in the expanded arrangement span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and all the ablation elements in the expanded arrangement projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

19. The ablation catheter of claim 13, further comprising:

a tubing coupled with the ablation element assembly; and

a mechanism disposed near the proximal end of the catheter body and coupled with the tubing to manipulate the tubing to move the ablation element assembly between the collapsed arrangement and the expanded arrangement.

20. The ablation catheter of claim 19,

wherein the tubing is flexible in bending along the longitudinal axis.