Systems for locating and guiding operative elements within interior body regions

• US 5,941,251 A
• Filed: 11/08/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: McGee, David, Panescu, Dorin, Whayne, James G, Swanson, David K, Dueiri, David F.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US08/745,795
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 600/374, 606/34, 606/41, 128/899, 607/122
• US Class Current: 128/899
• 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 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1815 using microwaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0075 Phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00755 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00875 Resistance or impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2072 Reference field transducer attached to an instrument or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 : Optical coherence imaging
• 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 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 : with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• 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 8/4461 : Features of the scanning mechanism, e.g. for moving the transducer within the housing of the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 : the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 : Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy

Abstract

Systems and methods for locating an operative element within an interior body space use a locating probe, which includes at least one transmitting element to transmit an electric waveform output within at least a portion of the space. The systems and methods also use a sensing element, which is adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense a local electric waveform within the space. A processing element coupled to the sensing element generates a processed output that locates the sensing element relative to the locating probe based, at least in part, upon a differential comparison of the waveform output and the sensed local waveform.

Claims

1. A system for locating an operative element within an interior body space comprising

a locating probe including at least one transmitting element to transmit an electric waveform output within at least a portion of the space,

a sensing element adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense a local electric waveform within the space, and

a processing element coupled to the sensing element to generate a processed output that locates the sensing element relative to the locating probe based, at least in part, upon a differential comparison of the waveform output and the sensed local waveform.

2. A system for locating an operative element within an interior body space, comprising;

a locating probe including at least one transmitting element to generate an electric waveform in the space, the locating probe carrying a return element comprising a return path for the electric waveform, and

a sensing element adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense spatial variations in the electric waveform,

wherein the locating probe and sensing element are configured for being coupled to a common processing element.

3. A system for locating an operative element within an interior body space, comprising;

a first locating probe including at least one transmitting element to generate a first electric waveform in the space, the first locating probe including a return path for the first electric waveform,

a second locating probe including at least one transmitting element to generate a second electric waveform in the space that, at least in part, intersects the first electric waveform, the second locating probe including a return path for the second electric waveform,

a sensing element adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense spatial variations in the intersecting first and second electric waveforms,

wherein the first locating probe, second locating probe and sensing element are configured to be coupled to a common processing element.

4. A system according to claim 3

and further including a processing element coupled to the at least one transmitting elements of the first and second locating probes and the sensing element to generate a position-indicating output that locates the sensing element relative to the first and second locating probes based, at least in part, upon analysis of the sensed spatial variations.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the first and second probes are in a spaced apart unattached condition.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein the sensing element includes a first and a second electrode.

7. A system according to claim 6, further including a processing element coupled to the at least one transmitting elements of the first and second locating probes and the sensing element to generate a position-indicating output that locates the first electrode relative to the first and second locating probes based, at least in part, upon analysis of the sensed spatial variations and that derives an orientation-indicating output for the operative element based, at least in part, upon electrical sensing by the second electrode.

8. A system for locating an operative element within an interior body space comprising

a locating probe including at least one transmitting element to generate an electric waveform in the space and at least one element spaced from the at least one transmitting element comprising a return path for the electric waveform,

a sensing element adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense phase of the electric waveform within the space, and

a processing element coupled to the at least one transmitting element and the sensing element to generate a position-indicating output that locates the sensing element in the space relative to the locating probe based upon analysis of the sensed phase.

9. A system for locating an operative element within an interior body space, comprising:

a first and second locating probes each including at least one transmitting element to generate, respectively, first and second electric waveforms in the space and at least one element spaced from the at least one transmitting element comprising a return path for the electric waveform,

a sensing element adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense phase of the electric waveform within the space, and

a processing element coupled to the at least one transmitting element of each of the respective first and second locating probes and the sensing element to generate a position-indicating output that locates the sensing element in the space relative to the respective first and second locating probes based upon analysis of the sensed phase.