Bioimpedance-assisted placement of a medical device
First Claim
1. A method for guiding a catheter within a vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
- introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient;
advancing the catheter toward a target destination within the vasculature;
calculating at least a first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property related to a first tissue surface of the vessel, the at least one electrical property detected across at least one electrode pair associated with the catheter disposed proximate to the first tissue surface;
advancing the catheter so that the electrode pair is proximate a second tissue surface in the vessel;
calculating a second impedance value based on intravascular detection across the at least one electrode pair of at least one electrical property related to a second tissue surface of the vessel; and
determining the proximity of the distal end of the catheter to the target destination from a relative variance between the first impedance value and the second impedance value.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for guiding a catheter or other medical device to a desired target destination within the vasculature of a patient via bioimpedance measurements is disclosed. The target destination in one embodiment includes placement of the catheter such that a distal tip thereof is disposed proximate the heart, e.g., the junction of the right atrium and superior vena cava. In one embodiment the method for guiding the catheter comprises introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient. The catheter is advanced toward a target destination within the vasculature. A first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property related to a first tissue surface of the vessel is calculated to enable determination of the proximity of a distal end of the catheter to the target destination.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for guiding a catheter within a vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
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introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient; advancing the catheter toward a target destination within the vasculature; calculating at least a first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property related to a first tissue surface of the vessel, the at least one electrical property detected across at least one electrode pair associated with the catheter disposed proximate to the first tissue surface; advancing the catheter so that the electrode pair is proximate a second tissue surface in the vessel; calculating a second impedance value based on intravascular detection across the at least one electrode pair of at least one electrical property related to a second tissue surface of the vessel; and determining the proximity of the distal end of the catheter to the target destination from a relative variance between the first impedance value and the second impedance value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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8. A method for guiding a catheter within a vasculature of a patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient, the catheter including at least a first electrode pair disposed on an outer surface thereof, the method comprising:
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introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient; advancing the catheter toward a target destination within the vasculature; providing an electrical current to the electrode pair with the electrode pair disposed proximate a first tissue surface; calculating at least a first impedance value according to the electrical current and a voltage value of the electrode pair at the first tissue surface; conveying to a user the first impedance value; further advancing the catheter such that the electrode pair is disposed proximate a second tissue surface; providing the electrical current to the electrode pair with the electrode pair disposed proximate the second tissue surface; calculating a second impedance value according to the electrical current and a voltage value of the electrode pair at the second tissue surface; and comparing the first impedance value with the second impedance value to determine proximity of the distal tip of the catheter to the target destination. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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17. A method for guiding a catheter within a vasculature of a patient, the method comprising:
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introducing the catheter into a vessel of the patient, the catheter defining a lumen through which fluids can be infused into the vasculature of the patient, the catheter having at least one electrode pair associated with the catheter; advancing the catheter toward a target destination within the vasculature; calculating at least a first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property related to a first tissue surface of the vessel, the at least one electrical property detected across the at least one electrode pair disposed proximate to the first tissue surface; iteratively performing measurements of impedance values at a given catheter location by the at least one electrode pair disposed proximate the given catheter location, followed by movement of the catheter and subsequent measurement at a new location by the at least one electrode pair disposed proximate the new location; and determining the proximity of the distal end of the catheter to the target destination from the relative variance between sequential iterative measurements.
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Specification