Systems for identifying catheters and monitoring their use

• US 5,651,780 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 07/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Jackson, Jerome, Stern, Roger A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sykes, Angela D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US08/363,273
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 606/1, 606/10-12, 606/32-35, 606/41, 606/42, 606/45-50
• US Class Current: 606/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1206 Generators therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2017/00017 Electrical control of surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00101 using an array of thermosensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00292 mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00101 low, i.e. thermally insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00178 Electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00684 using lookup tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00779 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 : measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00803 : with temperature prediction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 : measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00827 : Current
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 : Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 : Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00892 : Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00916 : with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 : switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 : monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 : bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 : Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 : Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6018 : providing set-up signals for the apparatus configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 : Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/70 : with testing or calibration facilities

Abstract

A catheter carries a functional component, like an ablating electrode, having a predetermined operating characteristic. The catheter also electronically retains an identification code that uniquely identifies the predetermined operating characteristic. The catheter is capable of transmitting the identification code to an external reader in response to a predetermined prompt. An associated apparatus, like an ablating energy source, reads the identification code and compares it to predetermined operating criteria. The apparatus will not permit interaction with the functional catheter component, if the identification code indicates that the functional characteristics of the catheter are not suited for the intended interaction. The catheter can also store usage information, to prevent reuse.

Claims

1. A system comprising

a catheter including a body carrying an electrode, a temperature sensing element carried by the electrode, and an element retaining a prescribed identification code that uniquely identifies a characteristic of the temperature sensing element, and

an apparatus operatively coupled to the catheter, the apparatus including a power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is coupled to the electrode to provide power to the electrode, the apparatus further including a processing element coupled to the power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is also coupled to the element retaining the prescribed identification code to sense the prescribed identification code when the catheter is operatively coupled to the apparatus and generate a control signal to the power generator to regulate power to the electrode based upon the sensed identification code.

2. A system according to claim 1

wherein the power generator is operative in a first power mode and in a second power mode different than the first power mode, and

wherein the processing element generates a first control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the first power mode and not the second power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a first code value and generates a second control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the second power mode and not the first power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a second code value different than the first code value.

3. A system according to claim 1

wherein the power generator is operative in a first power mode and in a power disabled mode, and

wherein the processing element generates a first control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the first power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a first code value and generates a second control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the power disabled mode when the sensed identification code comprises a second code value different than the first code value.

9. A system according to claim 6 or 4 or 1

wherein the element retaining the prescribed identification code includes a resistor, and the prescribed identification code comprises an ohm value.

10. A system according to claim 6 or 4 or 1

wherein the element retaining the prescribed identification code includes a microchip, and the prescribed identification code comprises a digital value.

4. A system comprising

a catheter including a body carrying an electrode having a predetermined operating characteristic and an element retaining a prescribed identification code that uniquely identifies the predetermined operating characteristic of the electrode,

an apparatus operatively coupled to the catheter, the apparatus including a power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is coupled to the electrode to provide power to the electrode, the apparatus further including a processing element coupled to the power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is also coupled to the element retaining the prescribed identification code to sense the prescribed identification code when the catheter is operatively coupled to the apparatus the processing element also including a look-up table listing different prescribed identification codes in association with different prescribed user discernable signals to generate a user discernable signal based upon the sensed identification code, and

an output for transmitting the user discernable signal.

5. A system according to claim 4

wherein the processing element also generates a control signal to the power generator to regulate power to the electrode based upon the sensed identification code.

6. A system comprising

a catheter including a body carrying an electrode having a predetermined operating characteristic and an element retaining a prescribed identification code that uniquely identifies the predetermined operating characteristic of the electrode, and

an apparatus operatively coupled to the catheter, the apparatus including a power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is coupled to the electrode to provide power to the electrode, the power generator operative in a first power mode having a first set power condition and in a second power mode having a second set power condition that is higher than the first set power condition, the apparatus further including a processing element coupled to the power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is also coupled to the element retaining the prescribed identification code to sense the prescribed identification code when the catheter is operatively coupled to the apparatus, the processing element generating a first control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the first power mode and not the second power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a first code value, the processing element generating a second control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the second power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a second code value different than the first code value.

7. A system according to claim 6

wherein the processing element includes a look-up table listing different prescribed identification codes in association with different power modes for regulating power to the electrode.

8. A system according to claim 6

wherein the prescribed identification code identifies operating characteristics selected from the group comprising surface area of the electrode, configuration of the electrode, orientation of the electrode, and power dispersion property of the electrode.

11. A system comprising

a catheter including a body carrying an electrode having a predetermined operating characteristic and an element retaining a prescribed identification code that uniquely identifies the predetermined operating characteristic of the electrode, and

an apparatus operatively coupled to the catheter, the apparatus including a power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is coupled to the electrode to provide power to the electrode, the apparatus further including a processing element coupled to the power generator that, when the apparatus is coupled to the catheter, is also coupled to the element retaining the prescribed identification code to sense the prescribed identification code when the catheter is operatively coupled to the apparatus, the processing element including a look-up table listing different prescribed identification codes in association with different prescribed control signals for regulating power to the electrode, the processing element generating control signals to regulate power to the electrode based upon the sensed identification code.

12. A system according to claim 11

wherein the prescribed identification code identifies operating characteristics selected from the group comprising surface area of the electrode, configuration of the electrode, orientation of the electrode, and power dispersion property of the electrode.

13. A system according to claim 11

wherein the power generator is operative in a first power mode and in a second power mode different than the first power mode, and

wherein the processing element generates a first control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the first power mode and not the second power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a first code value and generates a second control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the second power mode and not the first power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a second code value different than the first code value.

14. A system according to claim 11

wherein the power generator is operative in a first power mode and in a power disabled mode, and

wherein the processing element generates a first control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the first power mode when the sensed identification code comprises a first code value and generates a second control signal to the power generator to operate the power generator in the power disabled mode when the sensed identification code comprises a second code value different than the first code value.

15. A system according to claim 11

wherein the element retaining the prescribed identification code includes a resistor, and the prescribed identification code comprises an ohm value.

16. A system according to claim 11

wherein the element retaining the prescribed identification code includes a microchip, and the prescribed identification code comprises a digital value.