Locatable catheter
First Claim
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1. A locatable medical instrument insertable through a working channel of a bronchoscope comprising:
- an elongate flexible sheath defining a longitudinal lumen extending therethrough and having a distal end, the sheath configured to receive a probe therethrough for positioning the sheath adjacent target tissue;
at least three coils embedded within the flexible sheath proximate said distal end, the at least three coils overlying one another and having a common center point;
wherein each of said at least three coils is configured to generate a signal when placed in an electromagnetic field, said signal indicative of a strength of said electromagnetic field and the position of the flexible sheath when the probe is removed therefrom.
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Abstract
A catheter having a sensor at a distal end thereof, useable to detect and create signals from an electromagnetic field. The sensor is constructed and arranged to leave a lumen of the catheter open such that it may be used to pass instruments therethrough once a target location has been reached.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A locatable medical instrument insertable through a working channel of a bronchoscope comprising:
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an elongate flexible sheath defining a longitudinal lumen extending therethrough and having a distal end, the sheath configured to receive a probe therethrough for positioning the sheath adjacent target tissue; at least three coils embedded within the flexible sheath proximate said distal end, the at least three coils overlying one another and having a common center point; wherein each of said at least three coils is configured to generate a signal when placed in an electromagnetic field, said signal indicative of a strength of said electromagnetic field and the position of the flexible sheath when the probe is removed therefrom. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for navigating through a branched structure comprising:
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a sheath having a distal end and defining a lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; a first electromagnetic field sensor configuration embedded within the sheath and located near said distal end of said sheath, the first electromagnetic field sensor configuration including at least three coils overlying one another and sharing a common center point; a probe extendable through said sheath and having a second electromagnetic field sensor embedded within a distal tip thereof; an electromagnetic field generation device configured to create electromagnetic fields having a plurality of frequencies and configured to induce signals in said first and second sensors, wherein said first electromagnetic field sensor is configured to generate signals indicating its position relative to the branched structure when said probe is removed from said sheath. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for accessing a target in a branched structure comprising:
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providing an electromagnetic field generator defining a sensing volume containing said branched structure; advancing a probe through said branched structure, said probe including a probe electromagnetic field sensor that is configured to sense electromagnetic fields generated by said generator and creating probe location signals as a result; using said probe location signals to locate said target; advancing a sheath over said probe to said target, said sheath having at least three coils at a distal end thereof that are configured to sense electromagnetic fields generated by said generator and creating sheath location signals as a result, the at least three coils embedded within the sheath and overlying one another so as to share a common center point; removing said probe proximally from said sheath; monitoring a location of said sheath using said sheath location signals, to ensure the distal end of said sheath remains at said target; and accessing said target with one or more instruments by passing said one or more instruments through said sheath. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification