Catheter with electrode having hydrogel layer

• US 6,671,561 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Moaddeb, Shahram
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/561,716
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 607/119-122, 607/115, 607/116, 607/117, 607/118
• US Class Current: 607/120
• 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 2018/00154 containing and delivering drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy

Abstract

A catheter having an improved electrode that minimizes irritation to the heart tissue and counters the occurrence of foreign body reactions is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. At least one electrode, such as a tip electrode or ring electrode, is mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a hydrogel layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material. Preferably a drug or other therapeutic agent is incorporated into the hydrogel layer.

Claims

1. A catheter comprising:

an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough; and

at least one electrode mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the electrode comprises an electrically-conductive base material having an outer surface with an electrically-conductive porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material and a hydrogel layer applied over at least a portion of the porous layer.

2. A catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a drug or other therapeutic agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

3. A catheter according to claim 1, further comprising an anti-inflammatory agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

4. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is a tip electrode.

5. A catheter according to claim 4, wherein the tip electrode has a length of at least about 3 mm.

6. A catheter according to claim 4, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.

7. A catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a ring electrode mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the ring electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a hydrogel layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material.

8. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogel layer has a thickness ranging from about 10 μ

m to about 300 μ

m.

9. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, and any combination thereof.

10. A catheter according to claim 9, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

11. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the hydrogel layer comprises a protein.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of albumin, collagen and gelatin.

13. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer has a thickness ranging from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

14. A catheter according to claim 1 having a useful length of at least about 100 cm.

27. A method for ablating tissue in a patient, comprising:

introducing the distal end of a catheter as recited in claim 1 into the patient so that the electrode is in contact with the tissue to be ablated; and

applying energy to electrode, thereby creating a lesion in the tissue.

28. A catheter according to claim 27, further comprising a drug or other therapeutic agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

29. A catheter according to claim 27, further comprising an anti-inflammatory agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

30. A catheter according to claim 27, wherein the electrode is a tip electrode.

31. A catheter according to claim 27, wherein the hydrogel layer has a thickness ranging from about 10 μ

m to about 300 μ

m.

32. A method according to claim 27, wherein the porous layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof.

33. A method according to claim 32, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

34. A catheter according to claim 27, wherein the hydrogel layer comprises a protein.

35. A system according to claim 34, wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of albumin, collagen and gelatin.

36. A catheter according to claim 27, wherein the porous layer has a thickness ranging from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

37. A catheter according to claim 27 having a useful length of at least about 100 cm.

15. An ablation system comprising:

a catheter comprising;

an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough, and

at least one electrode mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the electrode comprises an electrically-conductive base material having an outer surface with an electrically-conductive porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material and a hydrogel layer applied over at least a portion of the porous layer; and

a source of radio frequency energy electrically connected to the electrode.

16. A system according to claim 24, wherein the protein comprises a material selected from the group consisting of albumin, collagen and gelatin.

17. A system according to claim 15, further comprising a drug or other therapeutic agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

18. A system according to claim 15, further comprising an anti-inflammatory agent combined with the hydrogel layer.

19. A system according to claim 15, wherein the electrode is a tip electrode.

20. A system according to claim 15, wherein the hydrogel layer has a thickness ranging from about 10 μ

m to about 300 μ

m.

21. A system according to claim 15, wherein the porous layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

23. A catheter according to claim 15, wherein the porous layer is electrically conductive.

24. A catheter according to claim 15, wherein the hydrogel layer comprises a protein.

25. A catheter according to claim 15, wherein the porous layer has a thickness ranging from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

26. A catheter according to claim 15 having a useful length of at least about 100 cm.