Structures for deploying electrode elements

• US 6,071,282 A
• Filed: 12/03/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleischman, Sidney D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S
• Application Number:
  US09/205,058
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 600/374, 600/381, 600/393, 606/41, 606/47, 607/99, 607/113, 607/122
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2017/2911 rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• 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 2018/00916 with means for switching or controlling the main function of the instrument or device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00946 slidable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00952 rotatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1407 Loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/142 at least partly surrounding the target, e.g. concave, curved or in the form of a cave
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems

Abstract

An electrode support structure comprises a guide body having at its distal end a flexible spline leg. The spline leg is flexed to define an arcuate shape to facilitate intimate contact against tissue. An electrode element is carried by the spline leg for movement along its axis. The structure includes a control element coupled to the electrode element. The control element remotely imparts force to move the electrode element along the axis of the spline leg. Therefore, in use, the physician can cause the electrode element to travel along a path that the spline leg defines, without otherwise changing the location of the guide body.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier defining a longitudinal axis;

a basket structure including a plurality of resilient shape memory splines having a normally curved configuration carried by the carrier, the resilient shape memory splines being arranged relative to one another such that the basket is asymmetric about the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier; and

at least one electrode on at least one of the resilient shape memory splines.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a catheter.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises two shape memory splines.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient shape memory splines define distal portions, the apparatus further comprising:

a center stiffener associated with the distal portions of the plurality of resilient shape memory splines.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes on each resilient shape memory spline.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises at least three resilient shape memory splines, the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes on at least two of the resilient shape memory splines, and there are no electrodes on at least one resilient shape memory spline.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises at least four resilient shape memory splines.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier defining a longitudinal axis;

a basket structure including a plurality of resilient shape memory splines having a normally curved configuration carried by the carrier, each spline in the basket structure passing through a common plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, the resilient shape memory splines being arranged relative to one another such that when the common plane is divided into a number of equal sectors equal to the number of splines, each sector having a corner that intersects the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, the basket structure can be oriented such that at least one of the sectors will have more resilient shape memory splines passing therethrough than at least one of the other sectors; and

at least one electrode on at least one of the resilient shape memory splines.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the carrier comprises a catheter.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises two shape memory splines.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the resilient shape memory splines define distal portions, the apparatus further comprising:

a center stiffener associated with the distal portions of the plurality of resilient shape memory splines.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes on each resilient shape memory spline.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises at least four resilient shape memory splines.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier defining a longitudinal axis;

a basket structure including a plurality of resilient shape memory splines having a normally curved configuration carried by the carrier, each spline in the basket structure passing through a common plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, the resilient shape memory splines being arranged relative to one another such that when the common plane is divided into four equal quadrants, each quadrant having a corner that intersects the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, at least one of the quadrants will have more resilient shape memory splines passing therethrough than at least one of the other quadrants and there will be no resilient shape memory splines located in at least two of the quadrants; and

at least one electrode on at least one of the resilient shape memory splines.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier defining a longitudinal axis;

a basket structure including at least three resilient shape memory splines having a normally curved configuration carried by the carrier, each spline in the basket structure passing through a common plane oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, the resilient shape memory splines being arranged relative to one another such that when the common plane is divided into four equal quadrants, each quadrant having a corner that intersects the longitudinal axis defined by the carrier, at least one of the quadrants will have more resilient shape memory splines passing therethrough than at least one of the other quadrants; and

a plurality of electrodes on at least two of the resilient shape memory splines and no electrodes on at least one resilient shape memory spline.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a carrier defining a longitudinal axis;

a basket structure including a plurality of resilient shape memory splines having a normally curved configuration carried by the carrier, the resilient shape memory splines being arranged relative to one another such that the radial spacing between one of the resilient shape memory splines and an adjacent spline on one side thereof is different than the radial spacing between the one resilient shape memory splines and an adjacent spline on the other side thereof; and

at least one electrode on at least one of the resilient shape memory splines.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the carrier comprises a catheter.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises two shape memory splines.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the resilient shape memory splines define distal portions, the apparatus further comprising:

a center stiffener associated with the distal portions of the plurality of resilient shape memory splines.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes on each resilient shape memory spline.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises at least three resilient shape memory splines, the at least one electrode comprises a plurality of electrodes on at least two of the resilient shape memory splines, and there are no electrodes on at least one resilient shape memory spline.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the plurality of resilient shape memory splines comprises at least four resilient shape memory splines.