Bioimpedance-assisted placement of a medical device
First Claim
1. A catheter guidance system, comprising:
- a catheter for disposal within a vessel of a patient, the catheter defining at least one lumen through which a fluid may be infused into the vessel;
a radiofrequency (RF) source for providing an electrical current;
at least one electrode pair included proximate a distal tip of the catheter to which the electrical current is provided;
a voltage measuring device to measure voltage values across the at least one electrode pair when the electrical current is provided to the electrode pair;
a processor for determining the proximity of the distal tip of the catheter to a target destination, the processor;
calculating a first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property being a measured characteristic of a first tissue surface of the vessel, the at least one electrical property detected across the at least one electrode pair;
calculating a second impedance value based on intravascular detection across the at least one electrode pair of at least one electrical property being a measured characteristic of 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; and
a display for depicting data relating to the first and second impedance values.
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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
13 Claims
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1. A catheter guidance system, comprising:
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a catheter for disposal within a vessel of a patient, the catheter defining at least one lumen through which a fluid may be infused into the vessel; a radiofrequency (RF) source for providing an electrical current; at least one electrode pair included proximate a distal tip of the catheter to which the electrical current is provided; a voltage measuring device to measure voltage values across the at least one electrode pair when the electrical current is provided to the electrode pair; a processor for determining the proximity of the distal tip of the catheter to a target destination, the processor; calculating a first impedance value based on intravascular detection of at least one electrical property being a measured characteristic of a first tissue surface of the vessel, the at least one electrical property detected across the at least one electrode pair; calculating a second impedance value based on intravascular detection across the at least one electrode pair of at least one electrical property being a measured characteristic of 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; and a display for depicting data relating to the first and second impedance values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification