Catheter for simultaneously measuring monophasic action potential and endocardiac cavity pressure

• US 5,022,396 A
• Filed: 12/12/1989
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hideto Watanabe
• Original Assignee: Hideto Watanabe
• Inventors: Watanabe, Hideto
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/448,921
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/673, 128/675, 128/784-786, 128/419 P
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0215 Silver or silver chloride containing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

A catheter capable of simultaneously measuring the action potential of myocardiac cells by means of a pair of electrodes, and the endocardiac cavity pressure by means of a pressure transducer. One electrode is provided to the enclosing front surface of a catheter body when the catheter body is brought into contact with the endocardiac surface guided into the endocardiac cavity. The other electrode is provided to the distal peripheral surface of the catheter body and is disposed within the endocardiac cavity when the catheter is guided into the endocardiac cavity and the other electrode contacts the endocardiac surface. The pressure transducer is provided to the peripheral surface of the distal section, for measuring the endocardiac cavity pressure and outputting it in the form of an electrical pressure signal. Lead wires are connected to the pair of electrodes and the pressure transducer, and are guided from the rear section of the catheter body in order to transfer the measured action potential and electrical pressure signals, from the catheter body, to processing and display equipment.

Claims

1. A catheter for simultaneously measuring action potentials of myocardiac cells and endocardiac cavity pressure in a heart, said catheter comprising:

a catheter body for guided insertion into said endocardiac cavity and being brought into contact with an endocardiac surface having myocardiac cells, said catheter body including a distal section and a rear section, said distal section having a front enclosing surface and a peripheral surface;

first and second electrodes, said first electrode being provided to said front enclosing surface and said second electrode being provided to said peripheral surface, said first and second electrodes being disposed in said distal section of said catheter body so that when said catheter body is guided into said endocardiac cavity, said first electrode is brought into contact with an endocardiac surface, and said second electrode is disposed in said endocardiac cavity;

a pressure transducer disposed in said peripheral surface of said distal section of said catheter body and being capable of measuring said endocardiac cavity pressure when said catheter body is disposed within said endocardiac cavity, and producing as output an electrical pressure signal corresponding to said measured endocardiac cavity pressure;

lead wires connected to said first electrode, second electrode and pressure transducer respectively, and extending out from said rear section of said catheter body, so as to transfer said measured action potential and electrical pressure signals outwardly from said rear section of said catheter body;

a pair of pacing electrodes provided to said peripheral surface of said distal section of said catheter body; and

pacing lead wires connected to said pacing electrodes in said catheter body and extending out from said rear section of said catheter body.

2. The catheter of claim 1, wherein said first and second electrodes for measuring the action potential, comprise:

Ag-AgC1 wires protruding from said front enclosing surface and said peripheral surface, respectively, of said distal section of said catheter body.