Catheters for imaging, sensing electrical potentials and ablating tissue

• US 5,840,031 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 11/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Crowley, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): JAWORSKI, FRANCIS J
• Application Number:
  US08/475,896
• Time in Patent Office: 1,266 Days
• Field of Search: 128/660.03, 128/662.06, 128/654, 128/786, 128/642, 128/660.04, 128/660.05, 606/27, 607/122, 600/440
• US Class Current: 600/440
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2202 the ultrasound transducer being inside patient's body at the distal end of the catheter
• 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 2017/00039 Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00924 for ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22021 electric leads passing through the catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22024 with a part reflecting mechanical vibrations, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22028 arrays, e.g. phased arrays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22077 with a part piercing the tissue A61B2017/22044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22082 after introduction of a substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22084 stone- or thrombus-dissolving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00029 open
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00077 high, i.e. electrically conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00273 : Anchoring means for temporary attachment of a device to tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 : Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 : Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 : measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00869 : Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1425 : Needle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 : Spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2063 : Acoustic tracking systems, e.g. using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 : using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 : transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3925 : ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 : in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 : Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 : characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 : the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/483 : involving the acquisition of a 3D volume of data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 : involving Doppler signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 : Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0633 : Cylindrical array

Abstract

An acoustic imaging system for use within a heart has a catheter, an ultrasound device incorporated into the catheter, and an electrode mounted on the catheter. The ultrasound device directs ultrasonic signals toward an internal structure in the heart to create an ultrasonic image, and the electrode is arranged for electrical contact with the internal structure. A chemical ablation device mounted on the catheter ablates at least a portion of the internal structure by delivery of fluid to the internal structure. The ablation device includes a material that vibrates in response to electrical excitation, the ablation being at least assisted by vibration of the material. The ablation device may alternatively be a transducer incorporated into the catheter, arranged to convert electrical signals into radiation and to direct the radiation toward the internal structure. The electrode may be a sonolucent structure incorporated into the catheter, through which the ultrasound device is arranged to direct signals. An acoustic marker mounted on the catheter emits a sonic wave when electrically excited. A central processing unit creates a graphical representation of the internal structure, and super-imposes items of data onto the graphical representation at locations that represent the respective plurality of locations within the internal structure corresponding to the plurality of items of data. A display system displays the graphical representation onto which the plurality of items of data are super-imposed.

Claims

1. A catheter system, comprising:

an elongated, flexible catheter constructed to be inserted into a body of a living being;

an imaging system constructed and arranged to provide information from which a graphical representation of an internal structure within said body of said living being may be created, said imaging system comprising an ultrasound device incorporated into said elongated, flexible catheter,

a data collection system, at least partially located on a distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, constructed and arranged to produce a plurality of items of data corresponding to a respective plurality of locations within said internal structure,

a central processing unit, electrically connected to said imaging system and said data collection system, said central processing unit configured and arranged to simultaneously record said information provided by said imaging system and said plurality of items of data provided by said data collection system, to create said graphical representation of said internal structure from said information provided by said imaging system, and to super-impose onto said graphical representation said plurality of items of data provided by said data collection system, said plurality of items of data being super-imposed at locations on said graphical representation that represent said respective plurality of locations within said internal structure corresponding to said plurality of items of data, and

a graphic display system, electrically connected to said central processing unit, and constructed to display said graphical representation onto which said plurality of items of data are super-imposed.

2. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said ultrasound device is arranged to direct ultrasonic signals towards an internal structure within said body of said living being for the purpose of creating an ultrasonic image of said internal structure, said graphical representation comprising said ultrasonic image.

3. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said data collection system comprises an electrophysiology electrode mounted on said distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, said electrophysiology electrode being constructed to sense electrical potentials within said internal structure when said electrode is placed in electrical contact with said internal structure.

4. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said items of data collected by said data collection system comprise identifications of locations within said internal structure at which said distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter is positioned.

5. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said items of data are portions of an image super-imposed on said graphical representation.

6. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of said internal structure.

7. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises a false three-dimensional image of said internal structure.

8. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises a true three-dimensional image of said internal structure.

9. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said graphical representation comprises a wire-frame representation of said internal structure.

10. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of items of data corresponds to one of at least two points in time, and is super-imposed on said graphical representation at a time that represents said one of said at least two points in time.

11. A catheter system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said graphical representation comprises a repeating representation of said internal structure.

12. A catheter system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said repeating representation of said internal structure is synchronized with input received from an EKG system.

13. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said central processing unit is configured to super-impose a live image over said graphical representation of said internal structure.

14. A catheter system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said items of data collected by said data collection system comprise physiological data for the internal structure corresponding to a respective plurality of locations within said internal structure.

15. A catheter system, comprising:

an elongated, flexible catheter constructed to be inserted into a body of a living being,

an imaging system constructed and arranged to provide information from which a graphical representation of an internal structure within said body of said living being may be created, said imaging system comprising a trans-esophageal ultrasound imaging device,

a data collection system, at least partially located on a distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, constructed and arranged to produce a plurality of items of data corresponding to a respective plurality of locations within said internal structure,

a central processing unit, electrically connected to said imaging system and said data collection system, said central processing unit configured and arranged to simultaneously record said information provided by said imaging system and said plurality of items of data provided by said data collection system, to create said graphical representation of said internal structure from said information provided by said imaging system, and to super-impose onto said graphical representation said plurality of items of data provided by said data collection system, said plurality of items of data being super-imposed at locations on said graphical representation that represent said respective plurality of locations within said internal structure corresponding to said plurality of items of data, and

a graphic display system, electrically connected to said central processing unit, and constructed to display said graphical representation onto which said plurality of items of physiological data are super-imposed.

16. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises an ultrasonic image created by said trans-esophageal ultrasound imaging device.

17. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said data collection system comprises an electrophysiology electrode mounted on said distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, said electrophysiology electrode being constructed to sense electrical potentials within said internal structure when said electrode is placed in electrical contact with said internal structure.

18. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said items of data are portions of an image super-imposed on said graphical representation.

19. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises a two-dimensional cross-sectional image of said internal structure.

20. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises a false three-dimensional image of said internal structure.

21. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises a true three-dimensional image of said internal structure.

22. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises a wire-frame representation of said internal structure.

23. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of items of data corresponds to one of at least two points in time, and is super-imposed on said graphical representation at a time that represents said one of said at least two points in time.

24. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said graphical representation comprises a repeating representation of said internal structure.

25. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said central processing unit is configured to super-impose a live image over said graphical representation of said internal structure.

26. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said items of data collected by said data collection system comprise identifications of locations within said internal structure at which said distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter is positioned.

27. A catheter system in accordance with claim 15, wherein said items of data collected by said data collection system comprise physiological data for the internal structure corresponding to a respective plurality of locations within said internal structure.