Catheter having multiple arms with electrode and position sensor

• US 6,574,492 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biosense, Inc. (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bahar, Boaz, Ben-Haim, Shlomo, Greenberg, Ilan
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US09/837,108
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 607/116, 607/122, 607/101, 607/113, 607/98, 607/99, 607/148, 128/899, 600/374, 600/373, 600/393, 600/424, 606/32, 606/41
• US Class Current: 600/374
• 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 18/20 using laser
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00053 Mapping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00694 with means correcting for movement of or for synchronisation with the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22008 used or promoted
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3958 emitting a signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• 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 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/029 Measuring or recording blood output from the heart, e.g. minute volume A61B8/065 takes precedence
• 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 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/145 Measuring characteristics of blood in vivo, e.g. gas concentration, pH value; Measuring characteristics of body fluids or tissues, e.g. interstitial fluid, cerebral tissuemeasuring of blood pressure or blood flow A61B5/02; non-radiation detecting or locating of foreign bodies in blood A61B5/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 : Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 : Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6853 : with a balloon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6856 : with a distal loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6858 : with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6859 : with multiple distal splines
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 : for locating instruments
• 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: A61N 1/32 : alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 : for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36564 : controlled by blood pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/368 : comprising more than one electrode co-operating with different heart regions A61N1/3622, A61N1/3627 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 : Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/1064 : for adjusting radiation treatment in response to monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

A catheter for measuring physiological signals in a heart comprises a structure at a distal end of the catheter wherein the structure has a plurality of arms, an electrode fixed to each arm and a device for generating position information located on each arm. The arms are located near the long axis of the catheter during insertion of the catheter within a heart and the arms are spreadable apart and away from the long axis of the catheter when the structure is within the heart.

Claims

1. A catheter for measuring physiological signals in a heart, the catheter comprising:

a structure at a distal end of the catheter, the structure having;

(i) a plurality of arms;

(ii) an electrode fixed to each arm, and

(iii) a device for generating position information located on each arm,

wherein the arms are located near a long axis of the catheter during insertion of the catheter within a heart and the arms are spreadable apart and away from the long axis of the catheter when the structure is within the heart.

2. The catheter according to claim 1, wherein the device for generating position information is a position sensor.

3. The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the position sensor generates signals responsive to an externally-applied field.

4. The catheter according to claim 3, wherein the externally-applied field is a magnetic field.

5. The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the position sensor comprises at least one coil.

6. The catheter according to claim 5, wherein the at least one coil is used for determining position and orientation information.

7. The catheter according to claim 2, wherein the catheter is used to measure electrical activation in the heart.

8. The catheter according to claim 7, wherein the catheter is used to map electrical activation in the heart.