Apparatus and method for treating cardiac arrhythmias with no discrete target

• US 5,718,241 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 02/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zachman, Susan J., Ben-Haim, Shlomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAYNO, CARL HERNANDZ
• Application Number:
  US08/476,200
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 128/642, 128/702, 128/705, 607/122
• US Class Current: 600/515
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/04 by heating by applying electromagnetic radiation A61B18/18; hyperthermia using electric or magnetic fields, radiation or ultrasound A61N
• 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 2018/00041 Heating, e.g. defrosting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/487 involving fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/403 for thermotherapy, e.g. hyperthermia

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treating cardiac arrhythmias with no discrete focus. More particularly, one or more catheters are used to collect local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart, the information is analyzed to determine where lines or points of ablation should be made, and then the lines or points of ablation are made.

Claims

1. A method for treating cardiac arrhythmias, which comprises the steps of:

(a) collecting local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart so as to determine a local dimension value characteristic of conduction in the heart tissue;

(b) analyzing said information to determine lines or points of ablation, wherein the information is analyzed to optimize the line or points of ablation, wherein the continuous or discontinuous ablation lines interrupt each possible geometric shape having a radius ≧

a and a circumference or outer perimeter greater than or equal to the dimension value at a given location; and

(c) creating lines or points of ablation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in step (b) each geometric shape interrupted is circular or oval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart comprises the steps of:

(i) creating an activation map of the heart of a patient wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map;

(ii) creating a refractory period map of said heart; and

(iii) creating a dimension map of said heart, wherein said dimension map is a mathematical product of the conduction velocity map and the refractory period map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein in step (iii) the dimension map is created from the information gathered in steps (i) and (ii).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the activation map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) sensing local information at each site;

(d) processing sensed data from steps (b) and (c) to create one or more data points; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a map.

6. The method of claim 5, which comprises an additional step (f) of transmitting the data points from step (e) to a receiving means.

7. The method of claim 5, which comprises an additional step of deriving a conduction velocity map the activation map.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart comprises the steps of:

(i) creating an activation map of at least a portion of a chamber of the heart wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map;

(ii) creating a refractory period map of said chamber or part thereof; and

(iii) creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof, wherein said dimension map is a mathematical product of the conduction velocity map and the refractory period map.

9. The method of claim 8, which also comprises the step of obtaining a three-dimensional image of one or more chambers of the heart.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the three-dimensional image of a chamber of the heart is reconstructed by the steps comprising:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart chamber;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) moving the distal tip of one or more catheters to a new site; and

(d) repeating steps (a) to (c) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a reconstruction.

11. The method of claim 10, which comprises an additional step (e) of transmitting the data points from step (d) to a receiving means.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein in step (iii) the dimension map is created from the information gathered in steps (i) and (ii).

13. The method of claim 3 or 8, wherein a refractory period map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) processing sensed information from steps (b) and (c) to create one or more data points; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map.

14. The method of claim 13, which comprises an additional step (f) of transmitting the data points from step (e) to a receiving means.

15. The method of claim 3 or 8, wherein a dimension map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) determining for a data point on the conduction velocity map of step (a) a corresponding refractory period value on the refractory period map;

(c) multiplying the conduction velocity value of the data point in step (b) by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

16. The method of claim 15, which comprises an additional step (e) of transmitting the data points from step (d) to a receiving means.

17. The method of claim 10 or 5, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

18. The method of claim 10, 5, or 7, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference outside the patient'"'"'s body.

19. A method for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) creating an activation map of the heart of a patient;

(b) creating a refractory period map of said heart;

(c) creating a dimension map of said heart; and

(d) analyzing the dimension map of step (c) to determine lines or points of ablation.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein in step (c) the dimension map is created from the information gathered in steps (a) and (b).

22. The method of claim 19, which comprises the additional step of deriving a conduction velocity map from the activation map created in step (a).

23. The method of claim 19 or 21, wherein a dimension map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) determining for a data point on the conduction velocity map of step (a) a corresponding refractory period value on the refractory period map;

(c) multiplying the conduction velocity value of the data point in step (b) by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

24. The method of claim 19 or 21, wherein a refractory period map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) processing sensed information from steps (b) and (c) to create one or more data points; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference outside the patient'"'"'s body.

27. The method of claim 19 or 21, wherein the activation map is created by the steps comprising:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) sensing local information at each site;

(d) processing sensed data from steps (b) and (c) to create one or more data points; and

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a map.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference outside the patient'"'"'s body.

21. A method for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) creating an activation map of at least a part of a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map;

(b) creating an refractory period map of said chamber or part thereof;

(c) creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof, wherein said dimension map is a mathemetical product of the conduction velocity map and the refractory period map; and

(d) analyzing the dimension map of step (c) to determine lines or points of ablation.

30. A method of determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location and local information at the site;

(c) processing sensed information from step (b) to create one or more activation mapping data points;

(d) repeating steps (a), (b), and (c) one or more times to create sufficient data points for an activation map;

(e) calculating conduction velocity data points from the data received in step (d) to create a conduction velocity map;

(f) determining the refractory period at each site;

(g) repeating steps (a), (b), and (f) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map;

(h) multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point from step (e) by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value;

(i) repeating step (h) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map;

(j) analyzing the dimension map from step (i) to determine lines or points of ablation.

34. The method of claim 30, 31, or 33 wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

35. The method of claim 30, 31, or 33 wherein in step (b) the location information is measured relative to a reference outside the patient'"'"'s body.

31. A method for determining areas of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) sensing local information at each site;

(d) sensing or determining the refractory period at each site;

(e) processing sensed information from steps (b), (c), and (d) to create one or more data points;

(f) repeating steps (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) one or more times to create sufficient data points for an activation map and a refractory period map;

(g) calculating conduction velocity data points from the data received in step (f) to create a conduction velocity map;

(h) multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point in step (g) by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value;

(i) repeating step (h) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map; and

(j) analyzing the activation map from step (f) and the dimension map from step (i) to determine lines or points of ablation.

32. The method of claim 31, comprising an additional step of determining a refractory period value on the refractory period map of step (f) corresponding to a data point on the conduction velocity map of step (9).

33. A method of creating a refractory period map of a patient'"'"'s heart, which comprises the steps of:

(a) positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart chamber;

(b) sensing location information at each site;

(c) determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) processing sensed information from steps (b) and (c) to create one or more data points;

(e) repeating steps (a) to (d) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map; and

(f) transmitting said data points from step (e) to a receiving means.

36. A method of creating a dimension map of a patient'"'"'s heart which comprises:

(a) deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) creating a refractory period map;

(c) multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point in step (a) by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate a local dimension value; and

(d) repeating step (c) one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

37. The method of claim 36, which comprises an additional step of transmitting the data points from step (d) to a receiving means.

38. The method of claim 36, which comprises an additional step of determining a refractory period value corresponding to a data point on the conduction velocity map of step (a).

39. A method for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias with no discrete target in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) creating an activation map, wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map, and refractory period map of at least a part of a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) creating a dimension map of said chamber or a part thereof; and

(c) calculating lines or points of ablation according to the criteria that any path with a radius of curvature larger than a, a being the minimum radius of curvature naturally occurring in the human heart, closing a loop at a particular location in the heart must be of a length equal to or greater than the local dimension number, D, wherein D is the mathematical product of the refractory period at any site on the refractory period map and the local conduction velocity at a corresponding site on the conduction velocity map, to cause the development of a reentrant conduction path, and that the electrical continuity must be preserved.

40. The method of claim 39 for determining lines or points of ablation to treat atrial arrhythmias with no discrete target in the heart of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

(a) creating an activation map of at least a part of a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof;

(c) identifying the SA node;

(d) identifying the AV node;

(e) identifying all conduction blocks;

(f) calculating each continuous or discontinuous line necessary to interrupt each possible geometric shape having a radius of ≧

a and a circumference ≧

D, positioned around the outer perimeter of a conduction block;

(g) repeating step (f) for each additional conduction block while also treating a continuous or discontinuous line from step (f) as a conduction block and calculating each additional continuous or discontinuous line necessary to interrupt each geometric shape having a radius ≧

a or a circumference ≧

D, positioned contiguous to the continuous or discontinuous line from step (f);

(h) repeating steps (f) and (g) starting from each conduction block identified in step (e); and

(i) choosing an optimal set of ablation lines or points wherein the length of the lines or the number of points is minimal or the ablation lines or points are easiest to perform and there is electrical continuity between the SA node and the AV node and no reentrant circuit of length ≧

D and radius of curvature ≧

a may form.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein each interrupted geometric shape is a circular or oval shape.

42. An apparatus for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias which comprises:

(a) means for collecting local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart so as to determine a local dimension value characteristic of conduction in the heart tissue;

(b) means for analyzing said information to determine lines or points of ablation, wherein said means further comprises means for optimizing the lines or points of ablation, wherein the continuous or discontinuous ablation lines interrupt each possible geometric shape having a radius ≧

a and a circumference or outer perimeter greater than or equal to the dimension value at a given location; and

(c) means for creating lines or points of ablation.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein each interrupted geometric shape is a circular or oval shape.

44. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for collecting local information comprises:

(i) means for creating an activation map of the heart of a patient, wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map;

(ii) means for creating a refractory period map of said heart; and

(iii) means for creating a dimension map of said heart.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the means for creating a dimension map is further comprised of means for utilizing the information gathered with means (i) and (ii) and for producing a mathematical product of said information.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the activation map creation means comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for sensing local information at each site;

(d) means for processing sensed data to create one or more data points; and

(e) means for repeating the sensing and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a map.

47. The apparatus of claim 46 also having means for transmitting the data points to a receiving means.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the refractory period map creation means comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) means for processing the sensed information to create one or more data points; and

(e) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, determining the refractory period, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 also having means for transmitting the data points to a receiving means.

50. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the means for collecting local information comprises:

(i) means for creating an activation map of at least a part of a chamber of the heart;

(ii) means for creating a refractory period map of said chamber or part thereof; and

(iii) means for creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, which also comprises means for obtaining a three-dimensional image of one or more chambers of the heart.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the three-dimensional image of a chamber of the heart is reconstructed by means comprising:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart chamber;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for moving the distal tip of one or more catheters to a new site; and

(d) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and moving one or more times to create sufficient data points for a reconstruction.

53. The apparatus of claim 52 also having means for transmitting the data points to a receiving means.

54. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the means for creating a dimension map is comprised of means for utilizing the information gathered with means (i) and (ii) and for producing a mathematical product of said information.

55. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the refractory period map creation means comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) means for processing the sensed information to create one or more data points; and

(e) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, determining the refractory period, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map.

56. The apparatus of claim 44 or 50, wherein the dimension map creation means comprises:

(a) means for deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) means for determining for a data point on the conduction velocity map a corresponding refractory period value on the refractory period map;

(c) means for multiplying the conduction velocity value of the data point by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value; and

(d) means for repeating the data point determination and multiplication one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

57. The apparatus of claim 56 also having means for transmitting the data points to a receiving means.

58. The apparatus of claim 52, 46, 48 or 55, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within a patient'"'"'s body.

60. The apparatus of claim 52, 46 or 59, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

59. An apparatus for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in a patient'"'"'s heart, wherein the cardiac arrhythmias have no focus, which comprises:

(a) means assuring that the heart is in a regular sinus rhythm by cardioverting the patient;

(b) a collector for collecting local information concerning a patient'"'"'s heart at a plurality of data points, wherein said information is updated after the acquisition of each data point;

(c) an analyzer for analyzing said information to determine lines or points of ablation; and

(d) means for creating lines or points of ablation.

87. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein anatomical obstacles to propagation of electrical activation are recorded as locations that are not associated with local electrical activity.

61. An apparatus for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for creating an activation map of the heart of a patient;

(b) means for creating a refractory period map of said heart;

(c) means for creating a dimension map of said heart; and

(d) means for analyzing the dimension map to determine lines or points of ablation.

62. The apparatus of claim 61, wherein the means for creating a dimension map is further comprised of means for utilizing the information gathered with means (a) and (b) and for producing a mathematical product of said information.

64. The apparatus of claim 61 or 63, wherein the activation map creation means comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for sensing local information at each site;

(d) means for processing sensed data to create one or more data points; and

(e) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a map.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

67. The apparatus of claim 61 or 63, wherein the refractory period map creation means comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) means for processing sensed information to create one or more data points; and

(e) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map.

68. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

69. The apparatus of claim 67, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

70. The apparatus of claim 61 or 63, wherein the dimension map creation means comprises:

(a) means for deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) means for determining for a data point on the conduction velocity map a corresponding refractory period value on the refractory period map;

(c) means for multiplying the conduction velocity value of the data point by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value; and

(d) means for repeating the refractory period determination and multiplication one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

63. An apparatus for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for creating an activation map of at least a part of a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart, wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map;

(b) means for creating an refractory period map of said chamber or part thereof;

(c) means for creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof; and

(d) means for analyzing the dimension map to determine lines or points of ablation.

71. An apparatus for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location and local information at the site;

(c) means for processing sensed information from step (b) to create one or more activation mapping data points;

(d) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for an activation map;

(e) means for calculating conduction velocity data points from the data received to create a conduction velocity map;

(f) means for determining the refractory period at each site;

(g) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and refractory period determination one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map;

(h) means for multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value;

(i) means for repeating the calculation of the local dimension value one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map; and

(j) means for analyzing the dimension map to determine lines or points of ablation.

75. The apparatus of claim 71, 73 or 72, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within a patient'"'"'s body.

76. The apparatus of claim 71, 73 or 72, wherein said means for sensing measures location information relative to a reference catheter within the patient'"'"'s body.

72. An apparatus for creating a refractory period map of a patient'"'"'s heart, which comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site on the endocardium of a patient'"'"'s heart chamber;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for determining the refractory period at each site;

(d) means for processing sensed information to create one or more data points;

(e) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, refractory period determination, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for a refractory period map; and

(f) means for transmitting said data points to a receiving means.

73. An apparatus for determining areas of ablation to treat arrhythmias in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for positioning the distal tip of each of one or more catheters at a site within a chamber of the patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for sensing location information at each site;

(c) means for sensing local information at each site;

(d) means for sensing or determining the refractory period at each site;

(e) means for processing sensed information to create one or more data points;

(f) means for repeating the positioning, sensing, and processing one or more times to create sufficient data points for an activation map and a refractory period map;

(g) means for calculating conduction velocity data points from the data received to create a conduction velocity map;

(h) means for multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate the local dimension value;

(i) means for repeating the calculation of the local dimension value one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map; and

(j) means for analyzing the activation map and the dimension map to determine lines or points of ablation.

74. The apparatus of claim 73 also having means for determining a corresponding refractory period value on the refractory period map for a data point on the conduction velocity map.

77. An apparatus for creating a dimension map of a patient'"'"'s heart which comprises:

(a) means for deriving a conduction velocity map;

(b) means for creating a refractory period map;

(c) means for multiplying the conduction velocity value of a data point on the conduction velocity map by the corresponding refractory period value to calculate a local dimension value; and

(d) means for repeating said multiplication one or more times to create sufficient data points for a dimension map.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 also having means for transmitting the data points to a receiving means.

79. The apparatus of claim 77 also having means for determining a corresponding refractory period value for a data point on the conduction velocity map.

80. An apparatus for determining lines or points of ablation to treat arrhythmias with no discrete target in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for creating an activation map, wherein a conduction velocity map is derived from the activation map, and refractory period map of at least a part of a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for creating a dimension map of said chamber or a part thereof; and

(c) means for calculating lines or points of ablation according to the criteria that any path with a radius of curvature larger than a, a being the minimum radius of curvature naturally occurring in the human heart, closing a loop at a particular location in the heart must be of a length equal to or greater than the local dimension number, D, wherein D is the mathematical product of the refractory period at any site on the refractory period map and the local conduction velocity at a corresponding site on the conduction velocity map, to cause the development of a reentrant conduction path, and that the electrical continuity must be preserved.

81. The apparatus of claim 80 for determining lines or points of ablation to treat atrial arrhythmias with no discrete target in the heart of a patient, which comprises:

(a) means for creating an activation map of all or part of a chamber of a patient'"'"'s heart;

(b) means for creating a dimension map of said chamber or part thereof;

(c) means for identifying the SA node;

(d) means for identifying the AV node;

(e) means for identifying all conduction blocks;

(f) means for calculating each continuous or discontinuous line necessary to interrupt each possible geometric shape having a radius of ≧

a and a circumference ≧

D, positioned around or alongside the outer perimeter of a conduction block;

(g) means for repeating the calculation of such a continuous or discontinuous line for each additional conduction block while also treating a prior continuous or discontinuous line as a conduction block and calculating each additional continuous or discontinuous line necessary to interrupt each geometric shape having a radius ≧

a or a circumference ≧

D, positioned contiguous to the continuous or discontinuous line;

(h) means for repeating said calculation starting from each conduction block identified; and

(i) means for choosing an optimal set of ablation lines or points wherein the length of the lines and/or the number of points is minimal or the ablation lines or points are easiest to perform and there is electrical continuity between the SA node and the AV node and no reentrant circuit of length ≧

D and radius of curvature ≧

a may form.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein each interrupted geometric shape is a circular or oval shape.

83. A method for treating cardiac arrhythmias in a patient'"'"'s heart, wherein the cardiac arrhythmias have no focus, which comprises the steps of:

(a) assuring that the heart is in a regular sinus rhythm by cardioverting the patient;

(b) collecting local information concerning the patient'"'"'s heart, at a plurality of data points, wherein said information is updated after the acquisition of each data point;

(c) analyzing said information to determine lines or points of ablation; and

(d) creating lines or points of ablation.

84. The method for treating cardiac arrhythmias of claim 83, wherein in step (b) anatomical obstacles to propagation of electrical activation are recorded as locations that are not associated with local electrical activity.

85. The method of claim 84, wherein the means for creating lines or points of ablation is entered into the patient'"'"'s heart percutaneously.

86. The method of claim 83, wherein in step (d) the lines or points of ablation are created percutaneously.