Irrigated ablation catheter with contact force sensing mechanism
First Claim
1. A catheter comprising:
- an elongate deformable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;
an inner tip member projecting outwardly from said distal end of said shaft, said inner tip member defining a fluid delivery lumen extending therethrough;
an outer tip member coupled to said distal end of said shaft and disposed about said inner tip member, an inner surface of said outer tip member and an outer surface of said inner tip member defining a gap therebetween in fluid communication with, andconfigured to receive fluid from said fluid delivery lumen, wherein said outer and inner tip members are configured such that a size of said gap varies in response to contact of said outer tip member with an external surface;
a first fluid sensing tube defining a first port upstream from said gap; and
,a second fluid sensing tube defining a second port downstream from said gap;
wherein a pressure sensor disposed in the catheter handle or outside the catheter is configured to measure the difference in fluid pressure between the first and second ports;
and wherein said difference in fluid pressure between said first and second ports is indicative of a contact force between said catheter and said external surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter is configured to indicate contact force between the catheter and tissue. The catheter includes an elongate deformable shaft having proximal and distal ends. The catheter includes an inner tip member projecting outwardly from the distal end, the inner tip member defining a fluid delivery lumen extending therethrough, and an outer tip member coupled to the distal end and disposed about the inner tip member. The inner and outer tip members define a gap therebetween in fluid communication within the fluid delivery lumen and the tip members are configured such that the size of the gap varies in response to contact of the outer tip member with the tissue. The catheter further includes first and second fluid sensing tubes defining ports upstream and downstream from the gap; wherein a difference in fluid pressure between the ports is indicative a contact force between the catheter and the external surface.
35 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A catheter comprising:
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an elongate deformable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an inner tip member projecting outwardly from said distal end of said shaft, said inner tip member defining a fluid delivery lumen extending therethrough; an outer tip member coupled to said distal end of said shaft and disposed about said inner tip member, an inner surface of said outer tip member and an outer surface of said inner tip member defining a gap therebetween in fluid communication with, and configured to receive fluid from said fluid delivery lumen, wherein said outer and inner tip members are configured such that a size of said gap varies in response to contact of said outer tip member with an external surface; a first fluid sensing tube defining a first port upstream from said gap; and
,a second fluid sensing tube defining a second port downstream from said gap; wherein a pressure sensor disposed in the catheter handle or outside the catheter is configured to measure the difference in fluid pressure between the first and second ports; and wherein said difference in fluid pressure between said first and second ports is indicative of a contact force between said catheter and said external surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for measuring contact force between a catheter and tissue in a body, the system comprising:
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a catheter, comprising; an elongate deformable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; an inner tip member projecting outwardly from the distal end of said shaft, said inner tip member defining a fluid delivery lumen extending therethrough; an outer tip member coupled to said distal end of said shaft and disposed about said inner tip member, an inner surface of said outer tip member and an outer surface of said inner tip member defining a gap therebetween in fluid communication with, and configured to receive fluid from, said fluid delivery lumen, wherein said outer and inner tip members are configured such that a size of said gap varies in response to contact of said outer tip member with an external surface; a first fluid sensing tube defining a first port upstream from said gap; and
,a second fluid sensing tube defining a second port downstream from said gap; and
,a pressure sensor disposed in the catheter handle or outside the catheter, configured to (i) measure a difference in fluid pressure between said first and second ports and (ii) generate a signal indicative of said difference in fluid pressure between said first and second ports; wherein said pressure sensor is configured to transmit said signal to an electronic control unit configured to determine a contact force between said catheter and said tissue responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification