Chamber location method

• US 7,930,012 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kagan, Jonathan, Beatty, Graydon Ernest, Budd, Jeffrey Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen; Lee S
• Application Number:
  US10/955,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20050043604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: 600/374, 600/372, 600/509, 607/115, 607/116, 607/122.123
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1076 for measuring dimensions inside body cavities, e.g. using catheters A61B3/1005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3625 External stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371

Abstract

A system for mapping electrical activity of a patient'"'"'s heart. The system includes a set of electrodes spaced from the heart wall and a set of electrodes in contact with the heart wall. Voltage measurements from the electrodes are used to generate three-dimensional and two-dimensional maps of the electrical activity of the heart.

Claims

1. A method of locating a catheter having a location electrode in an endocardial cavity, the method comprising the steps of:

a) positioning an electrode array within the endocardial cavity;

b) positioning the catheter within the endocardial cavity;

c) supplying an electric pulse to the location electrode;

d) receiving at the electrode array the voltage relating to the electric pulse;

distinguishing the received voltage relating to the electric pulse from any voltage relating to other electrical activity; and

e) performing field theory calculations upon voltage data received from said electrode array to determine the location of the location electrode within the endocardial cavity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the endocardial cavity is a ventricular cavity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of f) displaying the position of the location electrode on an image representing the shape of the endocardial cavity.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the endocardial cavity is the right ventricular cavity.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

the step of g) calculating and displaying a map of electrical activity in the endocardial cavity and superimposing the location of the location electrode on the map of electrical activity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of calculating and displaying a map of electrical activity in the endocardial cavity includes the substeps of:

i) determining volume and shape of the endocardial cavity;

ii) measuring electrical potentials on the electrode array relating to the electrical activity of the endocardial cavity;

iii) calculating the electrical activity of the endocardial cavity based upon the measured electric potentials and the volume and shape of the endocardial cavity.

7. A method of locating a catheter having a location electrode in a body cavity, the method comprising the steps of:

a) positioning the location electrode of the catheter within the body cavity;

b) supplying an electric pulse to the location electrode;

c) receiving at a plurality of mapping electrodes the voltage relating to the electric pulse; and

d) performing calculations to determine the location of the location electrode using the received voltages.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the body cavity is an endocardial cavity, and further comprising the steps of:

e) positioning the location electrode proximal to a wall of the endocardial cavity; and

f) sensing the electrical activity of the endocardial wall proximal to the location electrode.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

g) generating a geometrical map of the endocardial cavity; and

h) indicating on the map the location of the catheter.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:

i) displaying on the map the electrical activity sensed in step f.