Catheter and electrical lead location system
First Claim
1. A method of locating a catheter in a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
- providing a passive resonant circuit having a resonant oscillating frequency in a catheter distal tip region;
generating a magnetic field outside the patient'"'"'s body at the resonant oscillating frequency encompassing the patient'"'"'s body and the implanted catheter for a predetermined time to induce a current in and cause the resonant circuit to store energy and oscillate;
terminating the generated field, whereby the resonant circuit continues to oscillate as the stored energy is dissipated;
detecting the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit; and
determining the location of the catheter distal tip as a function of the re-radiated magnetic field produced by the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for precisely locating the distal end of a catheter or an electrical stimulation and/or sensing lead, particularly a pacing lead or a defibrillation lead, within a patient'"'"'s body. In a first embodiment employing a passive LC resonant circuit having a resonant oscillating frequency incorporated into a catheter or lead distal tip which may be located by means for and the steps of generating a field outside the patient'"'"'s body at the resonant oscillating frequency encompassing the patient'"'"'s body and the implanted catheter for a predetermined time to cause the resonant circuit to store energy and oscillate, terminating the generated field, whereby the resonant circuit continues to oscillate as the stored energy is dissipated and creates a re-radiated magnetic field, detecting the re-radiated magnetic field, and determining the location of the catheter distal tip as a function of the detected re-radiated magnetic field. In a further embodiment involving an active LC resonant circuit in a lead coupled to an implanted pulse generator having a source of electrical energy, the active resonant circuit may be selectively energized to oscillate at a resonant frequency and radiate a magnetic field in response to an energizing signal applied through the electrical conductor. The location of the catheter distal tip is identified as a function of the radiated magnetic field as detected and measured outside the patient'"'"'s body.
551 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of locating a catheter in a patient'"'"'s body comprising the steps of:
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providing a passive resonant circuit having a resonant oscillating frequency in a catheter distal tip region; generating a magnetic field outside the patient'"'"'s body at the resonant oscillating frequency encompassing the patient'"'"'s body and the implanted catheter for a predetermined time to induce a current in and cause the resonant circuit to store energy and oscillate; terminating the generated field, whereby the resonant circuit continues to oscillate as the stored energy is dissipated; detecting the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit; and determining the location of the catheter distal tip as a function of the re-radiated magnetic field produced by the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for locating a catheter in a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:
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a catheter having a passive resonant circuit having a resonant oscillating frequency located therein; means for generating a field outside the patient'"'"'s body at the resonant oscillating frequency encompassing the patient'"'"'s body and the implanted catheter for a predetermined time interval to cause the resonant circuit to store energy and oscillate; means for detecting the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit at the expiration of the predetermined time interval; and means for determining the location of the catheter distal tip as a function of the magnetic field produced by the continued oscillation of the resonant circuit. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification