System and method for positioning an artificial heart valve at the position of a malfunctioning valve of a heart through a percutaneous route

• US 9,717,468 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2006
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical International Holding SARL (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: MediGuide Ltd (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shmarak, Itzhak, Eichler, Uzi, Schwartz, Liat, Strommer, Gera
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet, Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mathew, Seema
• Application Number:
  US11/329,824
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173861A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,221 Days
• Field of Search: 623 121, 600424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/06 Devices, other than using radiation, for detecting or locating foreign bodies for removing same A61B17/50 ; determining position of probes within or on the body of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7289 Retrospective gating, i.e. associating measured signals or images with a physiological event after the actual measurement or image acquisition, e.g. by simultaneously recording an additional physiological signal during the measurement or image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/12 Arrangements for detecting or locating foreign bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. graphical user interface, icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/503 for diagnosis of the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/504 for diagnosis of blood vessels, e.g. by angiography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5235 combining images from the same or different ionising radiation imaging techniques, e.g. PET and CT
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/541 involving acquisition triggered by a physiological signal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5238 for combining image data of patient, e.g. merging several images from different acquisition modes into one image for image registration algorithms G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2427 Devices for manipulating or deploying heart valves during implantation

Abstract

Method for positioning an artificial heart valve at the anatomic position of a malfunctioning heart valve of a heart of a patient, by employing a catheter bearing the artificial heart valve and a valve fixation device, at the tip of the catheter, the method including the procedures of receiving a marking input associated with an image of the heart, and respective of the anatomic position, in a medical positioning system (MPS) coordinate system, moving the tip toward the anatomic position, constantly detecting the current position of the artificial heart valve, and producing an indication when the current position substantially matches the anatomic position, thereby enabling the catheter to fix the malfunctioning heart valve in place, by the valve fixation device.

Claims

1. System for positioning an artificial heart valve at the anatomic position of a malfunctioning heart valve of a heart of a patient, the system comprising:

a valve fixation device, for fixing said artificial heart valve at said anatomic position;

a valve replacement catheter, said valve replacement catheter bearing said artificial heart valve and said valve fixation device, at the tip of said valve replacement catheter, said valve replacement catheter being employed for fixing in place said artificial heart valve;

a first medical positioning system (MPS) sensor located at the tip of said valve replacement catheter;

an MPS coupled with said first MPS sensor, for determining the current position of said tip of said valve replacement catheter in an MPS coordinate system, according to an output of said first MPS sensor;

a processor coupled with said MPS, said processor being configured to determine a trajectory along which said valve replacement catheter will move by acquiring position readings of a second MPS sensor disposed in a mapping catheter and coupled to said MPS; and

a first user interface, coupled with said processor, for receiving a marking input from a user, independent of said trajectory and respective of said anatomic position, said marking input comprising at least position information indicative of said anatomic position and a marking information indicating that the user has affirmatively designated the position information as indicative of said anatomic position;

said processor determining said anatomic position in said MPS coordinate system, according to said marking input;

said processor constantly determining said current position, while said valve replacement catheter is moving along said trajectory toward said anatomic position;

said processor producing an indication via said first user interface, when said processor determines that said current position substantially matches said anatomic position.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said valve fixation device comprises:

an inflatable balloon; and

a stent surrounding said inflatable balloon, said artificial heart valve being coupled with said stent, and

wherein said artificial heart valve is fixed in place at said anatomic position, by inflating said inflatable balloon.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first user interface is selected from the list consisting of:

tactile user interface;

aural user interface; and

visual user interface.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said visual user interface displays an anatomic position representation respective of said anatomic position, and a current position representation respective of said current position.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said visual user interface is selected from the list consisting of:

cathode ray tube display;

autostereoscopic display;

head-mounted display;

volumetric display;

multi-liquid-crystal-display; and

touch-screen.

6. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a second user interface coupled with said processor, wherein said processor produces said indication via said second user interface.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said second user interface is selected from the list consisting of:

aural;

visual; and

haptic.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said malfunctioning heart valve is selected from the list consisting of:

tricuspid valve;

aortic valve;

pulmonary valve; and

mitral valve.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said processor determines said trajectory of said mapping catheter from an insertion point into said patient to said anatomic position.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said processor constantly determines said current position in relation to said trajectory, while said valve replacement catheter is moving toward said anatomic position.

11. The system according to claim 10, further comprising:

a moving mechanism, coupled with said valve replacement catheter and said processor, for maneuvering said valve replacement catheter in said patient;

wherein said processor operates said moving mechanism;

wherein said processor determines corrections to said current position if said current position in relation to said trajectory does not substantially match a predetermined displacement increment of said valve replacement catheter along said trajectory, and

wherein said moving mechanism applies said corrections to said valve replacement catheter.