Self-aligning catheter

• US 6,083,170 A
• Filed: 01/14/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ben-Haim, Shlomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US09/180,740
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 604/528, 600/462, 600/463, 600/471, 600/439, 600/117, 600/118, 600/467, 606/159
• US Class Current: 600/463
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0056 the insertion parts being asymmetric, e.g. for unilateral bending mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/24 with a catheter A61B18/26, A61B18/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/2272 with reflective or refractive surfaces for deflecting the beam A61B2018/2261, A61B2018/2266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• 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 5/061 Determining position of a probe within the body employing means separate from the probe, e.g. sensing internal probe position employing impedance electrodes on the surface of the body A61B1/00158 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 : Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 : Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 : involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 : for locating instruments
• 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: A61M 2025/0166 : Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/01 : Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters A61M25/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0105 : Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning systems for detection of markers A61B
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0147 : with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0158 : with magnetic or electrical means, e.g. by using piezo materials, electroactive polymers, magnetic materials or by heating of shape memory materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 : for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence

Abstract

A flexible, elongate probe having a distal end for insertion through physiological tissue, preferably through a lumen in the tissue. The probe includes a sensor, which generates signals indicative of a characteristic of the tissue in a vicinity of the probe, and an alignment mechanism, which deflects the distal end of the probe in response to the signals. The signals may be indicative of obstructions or of the direction of a clear channel in the lumen. The sensor preferably comprises one or more ultrasound transducers.

Claims

1. A flexible, elongate probe having a distal end for insertion through physiological tissue, comprising:

a sensor, which generates sensor signals indicative of a characteristic of the tissue in a vicinity of the probe;

signal processing circuitry for receiving the sensor signals;

alignment circuitry operatively connected to the signal processing circuitry for transmitting a steering signal in response to the signal processing circuitry; and

an alignment mechanism, which deflects the distal end of the probe in response to the steering signal from the alignment circuitry.

2. A probe according to claim 1, wherein the probe comprises a catheter for insertion through a physiological lumen, and wherein the sensor generates the signals responsive to a characteristic of the lumen ahead of the catheter.

3. A probe according to claim 2, wherein the signals are indicative of of a pressure in the tissue.

4. A probe according to claim 3, wherein the signals are indicative of a gradient of the pressure.

5. A probe according to claim 4, wherein the alignment mechanism drives the probe toward the leading edge of a pressure wave in the tissue.

6. A probe according to claim 5, wherein the signals are indicative of a gradient of the flow.

7. A probe according to claim 6, wherein the signals are indicative of turbulence of the flow.

8. A probe according to claim 7, wherein the alignment mechanism drives the probe toward an area of high flow velocity.

9. A probe in accordance with claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises at least one ultrasound transducer.

10. A probe according to claim 9, wherein the signals are indicative of a gradient of the pressure.

11. A probe in accordance with claim 10, wherein the signal processing circuitry detects a Doppler shift in the ultrasound waves received by the sensor.

12. A probe in accordance with claim 2, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises a plurality of deflection elements, each of which deflects the prove in one of a plurality of respective directions.

13. A probe in accordance with claim 12, wherein the alignment mechanism comprises one or more deflection elementss that deflects the distal end of the probe and a rotation element that rotates the probe about its long axis.

14. A probe in accordance with claim 13, wherein at least one of the deflection elements comprises a bendable element.

15. A probe in accordance with claim 14, wherein the bendable element comprises superlastic material.

16. A probe in accordance with claim 14, wherein the bendable element comprises a bimetal element.

17. A probe in accordance with claim 14, wherein the bendable element bends or straightens in response to an electrical drive signal.

18. A probe in accordance with claim 17, wherein the electrical drive signal causes a change in the temperature of the bendable element

19. A probe in accordance with claim 18, and comprising a heating element, associated with the bendable element, which receives the electrical drive signal.

20. A probe in accordance with claim 19, and comprising a cooler, associated with the bendable element, which receives the electrical drive signal.

21. A probe in accordance with claim 14, and comprising at least one mechanical pull-wire coupled to the bendable element.

22. A probe in accordance with claim 21, wherein the bendable element bends in response to tension in the pull-wire.

23. A probe in accordance with claim 13, wherein at least one of the deflection elements comprises at least one piezoelectric stack.

24. A probe in accordance with claim 23, wherein the stack comprises a plurality of piezoelectric crystals, coupled by a plurality of bendable joints.

25. A probe in accordance with claim 24, wherein the stack bends in response to an electrical signal applied thereto.

26. A probe in accordance with claim 2, wherein the signals are indicative of obstructions in the lumen.

27. A probe in accordance with claim 26, wherein te signals are indicative of the direction of a clear channel in the lumen.

28. A probe according to claim 26, wherein the signals are indicative of a fluid flow in the tissue.

29. A probe according to claim 28, wherein the signals are indicative of a gradient of the flow.

30. A probe according to claim 29, wherein the signals are indicative turbulence of the flow.

31. A probe according to claim 30, wherein the alignment mechanism drives the probe toward an area of high flow velocity.