High resolution intravascular signal detection

• US 5,699,796 A
• Filed: 05/18/1995
• Issued: 12/23/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cardima, Inc.
• Inventors: Amirana, Omar, Lau, Liming, Littmann, Laszlo
• Primary Examiner(s): Jastrzab, Jeffrey R.
• Application Number:
  US08/443,657
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/657, 128/692, 128/693, 128/772, 607/116, 607/119, 607/122-125
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/12022 Occluding by internal devices, e.g. balloons or releasable wires plugging an opening in the wall of an organ A61B17/0057; occluders for the cervical canal A61F6/146; vas deferens occluders A61F6/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00026 Conductivity or impedance, e.g. of tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]

Abstract

A system for detecting electrical activity within a patient'"'"'s heart comprising an elongated intravascular device, such as a catheter or guidewire, having a plurality of sensing electrodes on a distal section of the elongated device to detect electrical activity from within a blood vessel of the patient'"'"'s heart. The intravascular device has a first compact array with a relatively small interelectrode spacing, such as less than 2 mm, and may have a second electrode array with an interelectrode spacing much greater than the interelectrode spacing in the first array. The second electrode array may used to detect the general region of the arrhythmogenic tissue and the first electrode array is used to provide a high resolution of the electrical detection to more accurately pinpoint the location of the arrhythmogenic site. When the general region of the arrhythmogenic focus in known an intravascular device having a single array of electrodes with an interelectrode spacing of less than 2 mm may be used.

Claims

1. An elongated intravascular device for detecting electrical activity, comprising:

a) an elongated shaft having proximal and distal sections with the distal section being more flexible than the proximal section to facilitate advancement through a blood vessel; and

b) a first array of sensing electrodes longitudinally spaced along the distal shaft section with desired interelectrode spacings;

c) a second array of sensing electrodes longitudinally spaced along the distal shaft section with interelectrode spacings greater than the interelectrode spacings of the first array;

d) separate individual electrical conducting means to transmit electrical activity sensed by each of the sensing electrodes in the first and second array to a proximal extremity of the elongated shaft; and

e) means on the proximal extremity of the elongated shaft to electrically connect the individual electrical conducting means to transmit sensed electrical activity to a device for receiving the transmitted sensed electrical activity.

2. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the elongated shaft comprises a tubular member formed in part by individually insulated electrical conductors.

3. The intravascular device of claim 2 where the electrical conductors are braided into the tubular member.

4. The intravascular device of claim 3 wherein the tubular member has an inner lumen extending therein configured to slidably receive a guidewire.

5. The intravascular device of claim 4 wherein the inner lumen has a diameter of about 0.01 to about 0.45 inch.

6. The intravascular device of claim 3 wherein the tubular member has a tubular lining which defines the inner lumen extending therein.

7. The intravascular device of claim 6 wherein the tubular lining is formed of a lubricous material.

8. The intravascular device of claim 7 wherein the lubricous material is a fluoropolymer.

9. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein a plurality of electrode pairs are mounted on the distal shaft section in both the first and second array with the spacing between the electrode pairs being less than the spacing between electrodes adjacent to the electrode pairs.

10. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes in the first array have an interelectrode spacing of about 0.25 to less than about 2 mm.

11. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes in the first array have an interelectrode spacing of about 0.5 to about 1.5 mm.

12. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes of the second array have an interelectrode spacing of about 2 to about 10 mm.

13. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the electrodes are circular bands of electrical conducting material having widths of about 0.25 to about 1 mm.

14. The intravascular device of claim 1 wherein the shaft has an inner lumen extending therein and an elongated core member is disposed within the inner lumen of the shaft.

15. The intravascular device of claim 9 wherein a coil member is disposed about a distal extremity of the core member distal to the electrodes.

16. An elongated intravascular catheter for detecting electrical activity from within a blood vessel of a patient'"'"'s heart, comprising:

a) an elongated shaft having proximal and distal sections with an inner lumen extending therein and the distal section being configured to be advanceable through a vein or artery of a patient'"'"'s heart;

b) a longitudinally arranged first array of sensing electrodes mounted on a length of the distal section having an interelectrode spacing of less than about 2 mm;

c) a longitudinally arranged second array of sensing electrodes mounted on a length of the distal section having an interelectrode spacing of greater than the first array;

d) individual electrical conducting means to transmit electrical activity sensed by each of the electrodes in the first and second arrays of sensing electrodes; and

e) connector means on the proximal end of the elongated shaft electrically connected to the individual electrical conducting means to transmit signals representing electrical activity sensed by said sensing electrodes and received from the individual electrical conducting means.