METHODS FOR CONSTRUCTING IRRIGATED BALLOON CATHETER WITH FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY

• US 20170311829A1
• Filed: 11/23/2016
• Published: 11/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Beeckler, Christopher Thomas, Keyes, Joseph Thomas, Govari, Assaf
• Granted Patent: US 10,653,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• 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 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1405 Electrodes having a specific shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1465 Deformable electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 : Invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6857 : with a distal pigtail shape
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/16 : Coating processes; Apparatus therefor applying coatings to base materials in general B05; applying photosensitive compositions to base for photographic purposes G03C1/74
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4038 : Through-connections; Vertical interconnect access [VIA] connections H05K3/403, H05K3/42 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4644 : by building the multilayer layer by layer, i.e. build-up multilayer circuits making via holes in the insulating layers H05K3/0011; special circuit boards as base or core whereon the multilayer is built H05K3/4602

Abstract

A method of constructing an electrophysiology catheter having a flex circuit electrode assembly includes: providing a flex circuit having a substrate, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer; removing the first conductive layer to expose a first surface of the substrate; forming the wiring electrode in the second conductive layer with one exclusion zone; forming a first through-hole in the substrate to provide one conductive via and forming a second through-hole to provide an irrigation aperture in alignment with the exclusion zone; forming the contact electrode on first surface of the substrate; placing conductive material into the first through-hole to form the conductive via, the conductive via extending through the substrate and electrically coupling the wiring electrode and the contact electrode; and coupling a first conductor and a second conductor to the wiring electrode to form a thermocouple.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a flexible circuit electrode assembly for use in assembling an electrophysiology balloon catheter adapted for use in an ostium, the method comprising:

providing a flex circuit having a substrate, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer;

removing the first conductive layer to expose a first surface of the substrate;

forming the wiring electrode in the second conductive layer with one exclusion zone;

forming a first through-hole in the substrate to provide one conductive via and forming a second through-hole to provide an irrigation aperture in alignment with the exclusion zone;

forming the contact electrode on first surface of the substrate,

wherein at least one of the forming the wiring electrode and the forming the contact electrode includes introducing conductive material into the first through-hole to form the conductive via, the conductive via extending through the substrate and electrically coupling the wiring electrode and the contact electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, further including applying an added conductive layer on exposed conductive surfaces, after the forming the first and second through-holes in the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising applying an added conductive layer on exposed conductive surfaces on the substrate, the wiring electrode and the contact electrode, after the forming the contact electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising conductively coupling a first and a second conductive lines of different metals to the wiring electrode.

5. The method of making of claim 1, wherein the forming the contact electrode includes applying a seed layer and applying a second added conductive layer on the first surface of the substrate.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the applying the seed layer and applying a second added conductive layer includes applying the seed layer and the second added conductive layer in at least a region within a perimeter trace of the contact electrode.

7. The method of claim 5, further includes:

applying a photoresist on the first surface of the substrate on a region outside of a perimeter trace of the contact electrode;

applying the seed layer on the first surface of the substrate on at least a region inside of the perimeter trace of the contact electrode;

applying a second added conductive layer on the first surface of the substrate on at least the region inside of the perimeter trace of the contact electrode; and

removing the photoresist from the first surface of the substrate.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact electrode is configured as a fishbone with an elongated portion and a plurality of transversal fingers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact electrode and the wiring electrode includes gold.

10. A method of constructing an electrophysiology catheter adapted for use in an ostium, the catheter having a balloon having an membrane and a flex circuit electrode assembly, the method comprising:

providing a flex circuit having a substrate, a first conductive layer and a second conductive layer;

removing the first conductive layer to expose a first surface of the substrate;

forming the wiring electrode in the second conductive layer with one exclusion zone;

forming a first through-hole in the substrate to provide one conductive via and forming a second through-hole to provide an irrigation aperture in alignment with the exclusion zone;

forming the contact electrode on first surface of the substrate;

placing conductive material into the first through-hole to form the conductive via, the conductive via extending through the substrate and electrically coupling the wiring electrode and the contact electrode;

coupling a first conductor and a second conductor to the wiring electrode to form a thermocouple;

affixing the flex circuit to the membrane with the wiring electrode between the substrate and the membrane.

11. The method claim 10, further including applying a first added conductive layer on exposed conductive surfaces, after the forming the first and second through-holes in the substrate.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising applying a second added conductive layer on exposed conductive surfaces on the substrate, the wiring electrode and the contact electrode, after the forming the contact electrode.

13. The method of claim 10, further including passing the first and second conductors of the thermocouple into an interior of the balloon through a through-hole formed in the membrane.

14. The method of claim 10, further including placing the first and second conductors of the thermocouple between a tail of the flex circuit and the membrane.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming the wiring electrode includes forming an active solder pad.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the forming the wiring electrode includes forming an inactive solder pad.

19. The method of claim 10, further includes:

applying a photoresist on the first surface of the substrate on a region outside of a perimeter trace of the contact electrode;

applying the seed layer on the first surface of the substrate on at least a region inside of the perimeter trace of the contact electrode;

applying a second added conductive layer on the first surface of the substrate on at least the region inside of the perimeter trace of the contact electrode; and

removing the photoresist from the first surface of the substrate.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the contact electrode is configured as a fishbone with an elongated portion and a plurality of transversal fingers.

17. The method of 10, wherein the forming the contact electrode includes applying a seed layer and applying a second added conductive layer on the first surface of the substrate.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the applying the seed layer and applying a second added conductive layer includes applying the seed layer and the second added conductive layer in at least a region within a perimeter trace of the contact electrode.