Assembly of staggered ablation elements

• US 8,979,839 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: De La Rama, Alan, Hata, Cary
• Primary Examiner(s): Peffley, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): VAHDAT, KHADIJEH A
• Application Number:
  US12/945,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20110118726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 606/33, 606/34, 606/41, 606/42, 606 47- 50, 600/374, 600/381
• US Class Current: 606/41
• 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 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00011 with fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00511 Kidney
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00654 with individual control of each of a plurality of energy emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/124 switching the output to different electrodes, e.g. sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1475 Electrodes retractable in or deployable from a housing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1497 Electrodes covering only part of the probe circumference
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2201/12 Shape memory

Abstract

An ablation catheter comprises a catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; and an ablation element assembly comprising ablation elements connected to the catheter body, each ablation element to be energized to produce an ablation zone. The ablation elements are distributed in a staggered configuration such that the ablation zones of the ablation elements span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, but the ablation zones of all ablation elements projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis. Since the ablation zones do not form a closed loop, the risk of renal artery/vein stenosis is reduced or eliminated. Since the ablation zones of all ablation elements projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane span a substantially closed loop, substantially complete renal denervation is achieved.

Claims

1. An ablation catheter comprising:

an elongated catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; and

an electrode assembly connected to the catheter body, the electrode assembly comprising a plurality of spines, each of the plurality of spines having a proximal end connected to the catheter body and a distal end, the distal ends of the plurality of spines being connected to a spine distal junction, wherein each of the plurality of spines includes an intermediate segment, a proximal leg coupled between the intermediate segment and the proximal end and a distal leg coupled between the intermediate segment and the distal end, each of the plurality of spines further including a proximal hinge coupled between the proximal leg and the intermediate segment and a distal hinge coupled between the distal leg and the intermediate segment, a proximal stiffness change between the proximal end and the intermediate segment of each of the plurality of spines, and a distal stiffness change between the distal end and the intermediate segment of each of the plurality of spines, wherein each of the plurality of spines include a plurality of ablation electrodes on the intermediate segments, each of the plurality of ablation electrodes is configured to be energized to produce an ablation zone;

wherein the electrode assembly is movable between a collapsed arrangement and an expanded arrangement with the intermediate segments of each of the plurality of spines in the expanded arrangement is configured to move outwardly relative to the proximal ends and distal ends of each of the plurality of spines with respect to the collapsed arrangement; and

wherein the plurality of ablation electodes are distributed on the intermediate segments in a staggered configuration such that the ablation zones of the plurality of ablation electodes span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and the ablation zones of all the plurality of ablation electodes projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

2. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the proximal leg of each of the plurality of spines has a lower stiffness than the intermediate sedment of each of the plurality of spines and the distal leg of each of the plurality of spines has a lower stiffness than the intermediate segment of each of the plurality of spines.

3. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the proximal leg of each of the plurality of spines is smaller in cross-section than the intermediate segment of each of the plurality of spines and the distal leg of each of the plurality of spines is smaller in cross section than the intermediate segment of each of the plurality of spines.

4. The ablation catheter of claim 1, further comprising

a plurality of temperature sensors thermally coupled with the plurality of ablation electrodes to measure temperatures of the plurality of ablation electrodes.

5. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of spines include a plurality of irrigation fluid channels near the plurality of ablation electrodes to direct irrigation fluid toward the plurality of ablation electrodes.

6. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein at least some of the plurality of ablation electrodes have a lateral dimension which is greater than a longitudinal dimension thereof.

7. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein the plurality of ablation electodes in the expanded arrangement are configured to contact surfaces to be ablated;

and

wherein the plurality of ablation electrodes in the expanded arrangement are configured to span one or more open arc segments around the longitudinal axis, and all the plurality of ablation electrodes in the expanded arrangement projected longitudinally onto any lateral plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis are configured to span a substantially closed loop around the longitudinal axis.

8. The ablation catheter of claim 1,

wherein at least one of the plurality of spines includes a shape memory material that biases the spine toward the expanded arrangement.