Radio frequency ablation servo catheter and method
First Claim
1. A catheter system comprising:
- a. a catheter having a catheter body and having a distal end and a proximal end;
b. an ablation electrode at said distal end and a location electrode proximate said distal end;
c. said catheter having a plurality of pull wires within said catheter body;
d. each pull wire having a distal end and a proximal end;
e. two or more pull rings located within said body near said distal tip;
f. each pull wire distal end coupled to a pull ring;
g. a servo translation mechanism coupled to each of said pull wire proximal ends;
whereby manipulation of said pull wires by said servos alters the shape and location of said catheter;
h. an interactive catheter location system to determine the location of the catheter in space and to define a target site for the catheter; and
i. control software to automatically move the catheter from said location to said target site.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system that interfaces with a workstation endocardial mapping system allows for the rapid and successful ablation of cardiac tissue. The system allows a physician to see a representation of the physical location of a catheter in a representation of an anatomic model of the patient'"'"'s heart. The workstation is the primary interface with the physician. A servo catheter having pull wires and pull rings for guidance and a servo catheter control system are interfaced with the workstation. Servo catheter control software may run on the workstation. The servo catheter is coupled to an RF generator. The physician locates a site for ablation therapy and confirms the location of the catheter. Once the catheter is located at the desired ablation site, the physician activates the RF generator to deliver the therapy.
62 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A catheter system comprising:
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a. a catheter having a catheter body and having a distal end and a proximal end; b. an ablation electrode at said distal end and a location electrode proximate said distal end; c. said catheter having a plurality of pull wires within said catheter body; d. each pull wire having a distal end and a proximal end; e. two or more pull rings located within said body near said distal tip; f. each pull wire distal end coupled to a pull ring; g. a servo translation mechanism coupled to each of said pull wire proximal ends; whereby manipulation of said pull wires by said servos alters the shape and location of said catheter; h. an interactive catheter location system to determine the location of the catheter in space and to define a target site for the catheter; and i. control software to automatically move the catheter from said location to said target site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A catheter system comprising:
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a catheter having a distal end and a deflection mechanism operable to deflect the distal end of the catheter, wherein the deflection mechanism comprises one or more pull wires coupled to one or more pull rings; at least one electrode positioned near the distal end of the catheter; a first servo mechanism operably coupled to the deflection mechanism for deflecting the distal end of the catheter; a mapping system for detecting a position of the catheter in space; and
control software that;receives as input a target site for the catheter; receives as input the position of the catheter in space; and actuates the first servo mechanism to automatically move the catheter from the position of the catheter in space to the target site for the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of navigating a catheter within a patient, comprising:
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connecting a catheter having at least one deflection mechanism to one or more servo mechanisms, wherein the at least one deflection mechanism comprises one or more pull wires coupled to one or more pull rings; connecting an interactive control system to the one or more servo mechanisms; connecting a mapping system to the interactive control system; receiving, via the interactive control system, a target site for the catheter within the patient; measuring, via the mapping system, a location of the catheter within the patient; and automatically actuating the one or more servo mechanisms to navigate the catheter from the location of the catheter within the patient to the target site for the catheter within the patient. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification