Measurement of appendage openings
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
- inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject;
deploying at least one loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and
using the loop to measure the opening of the appendage,wherein measuring the opening comprises;
expanding the loop until the loop contacts at least two points on a perimeter of the opening; and
measuring a distance between the points, by using imaging to view the loop while it is in contact with the points.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are described, including a method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject. A catheter is inserted into the atrium, and at least one loop is deployed from a wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter. The loop is used to measure the opening of the appendage. Other applications are also described.
90 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
-
inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject; deploying at least one loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and using the loop to measure the opening of the appendage, wherein measuring the opening comprises; expanding the loop until the loop contacts at least two points on a perimeter of the opening; and measuring a distance between the points, by using imaging to view the loop while it is in contact with the points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10)
-
-
9. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
-
inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject; deploying at least one loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and using the loop to measure the opening of the appendage, wherein measuring the opening comprises; expanding the loop until the loop contacts at least two points on a perimeter of the opening; and measuring a distance between the points, by utilizing a marker on a proximal portion of the loop that indicates an extent to which the loop has been expanded. - View Dependent Claims (11)
-
-
12. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
-
inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject; deploying at least one loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and using the loop to measure the opening of the appendage, wherein the atrium is a left atrium, wherein the loop is an appendage-finding and fossa-ovalis-finding loop, and wherein the method further comprises, prior to inserting the catheter into the left atrium; inserting the catheter into a right atrium of the subject; deploying at least the loop from the lateral wall of the catheter; moving the loop along an interatrial septum of the subject, until the loop contacts a fossa ovalis of the subject; and in response to the loop contacting the fossa ovalis, puncturing the fossa ovalis by passing a puncturing element out of the distal end of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (13)
-
-
14. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of a left atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
-
inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject; deploying at least one appendage-finding loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and using the appendage-finding loop to measure the opening of the appendage, wherein the method further comprises, prior to inserting the catheter into the left atrium; inserting the catheter into a right atrium of the subject; deploying at least one fossa-ovalis-finding loop, which is different from the appendage-finding loop, from the lateral wall of the catheter; moving the fossa-ovalis-finding loop along an interatrial septum of the subject, until the fossa-ovalis-finding loop contacts a fossa ovalis of the subject; and in response to the fossa-ovalis-finding loop contacting the fossa ovalis, puncturing the fossa ovalis by passing a puncturing element out of the distal end of the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
-
16. A method for measuring an opening of an appendage of an atrium of a subject, the method comprising:
-
inserting a catheter into the atrium of the subject; deploying at least one loop from a lateral wall of the catheter, such that a distal end of the loop is distal to a distal end of the catheter; and using the loop to measure the opening of the appendage, wherein measuring the opening of the appendage comprises measuring (a) a distance between a first pair of points on a perimeter of the opening, and (b) a distance between a second pair of points on the perimeter of the opening. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
Specification