Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080221423 | Cardiac Catheter Imaging System - Systems and methods for measuring electrical potentials and other data associated with body tissue and generating electrograms of the tissue based on the data. In one embodiment, a device for measuring parameters of human tissue includes a multielectrode catheter for taking multiple measurements of the electrical characteristics of the human tissue, a concentric tube catheter located inside the multielectrode catheter, for providing structural support to the multi-electrode catheter and for serving as a conduit for advancing or withdrawing the multielectrode catheter over its surface; and an imaging catheter located inside the concentric tube catheter for taking multiple measurements of anatomical characteristics of the human tissue. | 09-11-2008 |
20080228060 | HIGH DENSITY MAPPING CATHETER - The present invention is directed to a high density mapping catheter including a number of shape memory electrode fibers and associated methods of construction ad operation. The invention ensures good electrical contact between a large number of mapping electrodes and cardiac tissue in relation to a number of cardiac tissue approach angles, including head-on approaches. In addition, the invention allows for a reduced range of deflection angles in relation to deployment and retraction of the electrode fibers, thereby reducing resistance to retraction and reducing stress on the fibers and associated concerns regarding patient safety. The catheter of the present invention allows for rapid acquisition of a large amount of mapping data and allows for a variety of different geometries in relation to sweeping of the catheter across the cardiac tissue. | 09-18-2008 |
20080234564 | Electrophysiology therapy catheter - A mapping catheter is positioned in a heart chamber, and active electrode sites are activated to impose an electric field within the chamber. The blood volume and wall motion modulates the electric field, which is detected by passive electrode sites on the preferred catheter. Electrophysiology measurements, as well as geometry measurements, are taken from the passive electrodes and used to display a map of intrinsic heart activity. | 09-25-2008 |
20080262337 | Method and Apparatus for Mapping and/or Ablation of Cardiac Tissue - An apparatus for mapping and/or ablating tissue includes a braided conductive member that may be inverted to provide a ring-shaped surface. When a distal tip of the braided conductive member is retracted within the braided conductive member, the lack of protrusion allows the ring-shaped surface to contact a tissue wall such as a cardiac wall. In an undeployed configuration, the braided conductive member is longitudinally extended, and in a deployed configuration, the distal end of the braided conductive member is retracted to invert the braided conductive member. | 10-23-2008 |
20080294030 | Torque device for a sensor guide wire - The invention relates to a torque device for a sensor guide wire having a sensor provided at a distal portion and a male connector provided at the proximal end, which torque device comprises a grip body and a cap adapted to be joined to the grip body, and a number of chuck segments provided on the cap or the grip body, wherein the torque device is a one-way device defining an insertion direction for the sensor guide wire and wherein the chuck segments have free ends which are directed in the insertion direction. | 11-27-2008 |
20080312521 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING ELECTRODE-TISSUE CONTACT USING PHASE DIFFERENCE - Methods and systems for monitoring contact between a medical probe and tissue are provided. A medical probe is introduced into a patient adjacent the tissue. A time varying signal is transmitted to or from the second electrode, the time varying signal is sensed at the first tip electrode, a phase difference between the transmitted signal and the sensed signal is determined, and contact between the first tip electrode and the tissue is detected based on the determined phase difference. | 12-18-2008 |
20090043186 | Miniature circular mapping catheter - An ablation device, including a catheter and an ablation element incorporating one or more balloons at the distal end of the catheter, has a continuous passageway extending through it from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal side of the expandable ablation element. The ablation device ablates tissue by subjecting it to ultrasound energy, cryogenic energy, chemical, laser beam, microwave, or radiation energy. A probe carrying electrodes is introduced through this passageway and deploys, under the influence of its own resilience, to a structure incorporating a loop which is automatically aligned with the axis of the expandable ablation device, so that minimal manipulation is required to place the probe. Pulmonary vein potential is monitored in real time via the electrodes. The probe may have an atraumatic tip with a ball formed at the leading edge. The atraumatic tip prevents any tissue damage such as perforation of heart wall. | 02-12-2009 |
20090177071 | Non-Contact Cardiac Mapping, Including Preprocessing - A non-contact cardiac mapping method is disclosed that includes: (i) inserting a catheter into a heart cavity having an endocardium surface, the catheter including multiple, spatially distributed electrodes; (ii) measuring signals at the catheter electrodes in response to electrical activity in the heart cavity with the catheter spaced from the endocardium surface; and (iii) determining physiological information at multiple locations of the endocardium surface based on the measured signals and positions of the electrodes with respect to the endocardium surface. Related systems and computer programs are also disclosed. | 07-09-2009 |
20090177072 | Non-Contact Cardiac Mapping, Including Moving Catheter and Multi-Beat Integration - A non-contact cardiac mapping method is disclosed that includes: (i) inserting a catheter into a heart cavity having an endocardium surface, the catheter including multiple, spatially distributed electrodes; (ii) measuring signals at the catheter electrodes in response to electrical activity in the heart cavity with the catheter spaced from the endocardium surface; and (iii) determining physiological information at multiple locations of the endocardium surface based on the measured signals and positions of the electrodes with respect to the endocardium surface. Related systems and computer programs are also disclosed. | 07-09-2009 |
20090253976 | Intracardiac Tracking System - In general, in one aspect, a method is disclosed for determining information about a position of an object. The method includes: (i) causing current to flow between each of three or more sets of current-injecting electrodes on a first catheter inserted into an organ in a patient's body, the organ having a periphery (ii) in response to current flow caused by each set of current injecting electrodes, measuring an electrical signal at each of one or more measuring electrodes located on one or more additional catheters inserted into the organ in the patient's body and (iii) determining the position of each of one or more of the measuring electrodes on the additional catheters relative to the first catheter based on the measured signals from the one or more measuring electrodes. | 10-08-2009 |
20090259119 | CATHETER HAVING MAPPING ASSEMBLY - A mapping catheter comprises a catheter body and a mapping assembly. The catheter body has an outer wall, proximal and distal ends, and at least one lumen extending therethrough. The mapping assembly comprises a generally straight proximal region attached to the catheter body, a generally circular main region distal the proximal region having an outer circumference, and a generally straight distal region distal the main region. The mapping assembly also comprises a support member having shape-memory, a non-conductive covering over the support member, and a plurality of electrodes on the non-conductive covering along the generally circular main region. | 10-15-2009 |
20100030055 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS TO EVALUATE CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION - Devices and methods are disclosed which relate to the detection of cardiovascular efficiency and risk of disease. The rate of volumetric change of the heart can be determined by measuring the parallel conductance across electrodes attached to the heart. Measurements from a lumen would consider the total conductance. The rate of volumetric or lumen cross-section area change can then be compared to an average model to determine the health of a patient. | 02-04-2010 |
20100036227 | APPARATUS AND DISPLAY METHODS RELATING TO INTRAVASCULAR PLACEMENT OF A CATHETER - An integrated catheter placement system for accurately placing a catheter within a patient's vasculature is disclosed. In one embodiment, the integrated system comprises a system console, a tip location sensor for temporary placement on the patient's chest, and an ultrasound probe. The tip location sensor senses a magnetic field of a stylet disposed in a lumen of the catheter when the catheter is disposed in the vasculature. The ultrasound probe ultrasonically images a portion of the vasculature prior to introduction of the catheter. ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance is included in the integrated system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart. Various aspects for visualizing and manipulating display of the ECG signal data acquired via the present system, together with aspects of various ECG sensor configurations, are also disclosed. | 02-11-2010 |
20100041973 | CATHETER RADIO FREQUENCY ADAPTER FOR WIRELESS COMMUNICATION - A catheter system for wireless communication with an electrophysiological (EP) mapping system. The catheter system comprises a catheter, a catheter adapter, and a radio frequency receiver module. The catheter includes a plurality of mapping electrodes including a tip electrode disposed on a distal portion of the elongated body, the mapping electrodes detecting electrocardiograph (ECG) signals; and a reference electrode being disposed on the elongated body at a distance from the plurality of mapping electrodes such that the reference electrode substantially does not detect electrocardiograph signals. The catheter includes a handle. The catheter adapter is attached to the handle. The catheter adapter includes an RF transmitter module for receiving, processing, and transmitting the detected ECG signals. The reference electrode provides a reference signal to the radio frequency (RF) transmitter module. The RF receiver module receives the transmitted ECG signals. The RF receiver module is coupled to the EP mapping system. | 02-18-2010 |
20100069733 | ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY CATHETER WITH ELECTRODE LOOP - A magnetically guidable electrophysiology catheter has an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end. At least one magnetically responsive element is disposed adjacent the distal end for aligning the distal end relative to an externally applied magnetic field. The portion of the catheter adjacent the distal end is formed in a generally planar loop, adjacent the distal end, with the distal end of the catheter projecting from the center of the loop, generally perpendicularly to the plane of the loop. A plurality of electrodes are disposed on the loop for measuring electrical activity in the tissue with which the loop is in contact. | 03-18-2010 |
20100069734 | CATHETER WITH FLEXIBLE PRE-SHAPED TIP SECTION - A catheter for mapping and/or ablating continuous linear or circumferential lesions at the intersection of a generally flat structure, such as the left atrium, and the ostium of generally cavernous regions of the heart, including pulmonary vein and the pulmonary venous antrum, comprises a catheter body with an intermediate section that is connected to a tip assembly by a highly flexible section. The intermediate section has at its distal end a preformed section, e.g., a curve, the intermediate section being deflectable in a direction opposite to the curve. The highly flexible section presets the tip assembly at an off-axis and/or off-plane angles from the preformed section. Accordingly, the preformed section is adapted to sit in the region and the preset angles of the ablation assembly enable contact with surrounding tissue. A high bending modulus enables the flexible section absorb displacement force applied to the ablation assembly, such as when the tip assembly encounters uneven tissue surface, without displacing the curve from the region. The tip assembly can be irrigated as enabled by a plurality of irrigation ports, a coil electrode, and a porous covering to disperse fluid over the outer surface of the tip assembly. | 03-18-2010 |
20100137700 | CATHETERS AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGICAL DEVICES - The present invention provides systems and methods of use for catheters and electrophysiological devices. In particular, the present invention provides coronary catheters within which an extendable electrode array is housed. | 06-03-2010 |
20100168548 | Dual-Purpose Lasso Catheter with Irrigation - Cardiac catheters, including a lasso catheter, are provided for use in a system for electrical mapping of the heart has an array of raised, perforated electrodes, which are in fluid communication with an irrigating lumen. There are position sensors on a distal loop section and on a proximal base section of the catheter. The electrodes are sensing electrodes that may be adapted for pacing or ablation. The raised electrodes securely contact cardiac tissue, forming electrical connections having little resistance. | 07-01-2010 |
20100168549 | ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY CATHETER AND SYSTEM FOR GENTLE AND FIRM WALL CONTACT - A method of applying an electrode on the end of a flexible medical device to the surface of a body structure, the method including navigating the distal end of the device to the surface by orienting the distal end and advancing the device until the tip of the device contacts the surface and the portion of the device proximal to the end prolapses. Alternatively the pressure can be monitored with a pressure sensor, and used as an input in a feed back control to maintain contact pressure within a pre-determined range. | 07-01-2010 |
20100179411 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE AND A METHOD COMPRISING MEANS FOR DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING VENTRICULAR TACHYARRHYTMIAS (As Amended) - In a method and implantable medical device for ventricular tachyarrhythmia detection and classification, upon detection of a ventricular tachyarrhythmia based on an electrocardiogram signal, cardiogenic impedance data representative of ventricular volume dynamics are collected and used for classifying the detected tachyarrhythmia as stable or unstable. In the latter case but typically not in the former case, defibrillation shocks or other forms of therapy are applied to combat the unstable ventricular tachyarrhythmia. | 07-15-2010 |
20100198040 | Methods and apparatus for assessing and improving electrode contact with cardiac tissue - Embodiments of the invention relate to methods for assessing and/or improving contact between an electrophysiology catheter and tissue, and catheters for performing the methods. One embodiment relates to a catheter comprising a braided conductive member coupled to the distal end of a shaft, wherein the braided conductive member comprises a plurality of pressure sensitive wires. Another embodiment relates to a catheter comprising a braided conductive member having a plurality of sectors and coupled to the distal end of a shaft, and a balloon assembly constructed and arranged to selectively apply distal pressure to one or more sectors of the braided conductive member. | 08-05-2010 |
20100249568 | MEDICAL DEVICES HAVING AN ATRAUMATIC DISTAL TIP SEGMENT - A kit for the diagnosis or treatment of tissue in a body cavity includes an introducer and a catheter insertable through the lumen of the introducer having a proximal segment, a working segment and a flexible distal tip segment. The flexible distal tip segment is located adjacent the distal end of the working segment and includes a proximal end, a distal end and a pre-formed bend or curve that permits the catheter to exit the introducer in a lateral direction relative to the introducer body to prevent inadvertent damage to the tissue during a medical procedure. All or part of the working segment and the flexible distal tip segment may be adhesive-filled. The catheter may also include a plurality of sensing and/or energy delivery elements on the working segment and a shape-memory wire terminating at the distal end of the working segment. Methods of use and methods of manufacturing are also described. | 09-30-2010 |
20100261989 | CATHETER - A catheter includes an outer jacket, a shaft member, a transition member and a core member. The outer jacket has a first interior passage at a proximal end and a second interior passage at a distal end. The shaft member is arranged within the outer jacket. The transition member is fixedly secured to the shaft member and includes a window. The core member is fixedly secured to the transition member. The window in the transition member allows communication between the first interior passage and the second interior passage. | 10-14-2010 |
20100261990 | CATHETER ASSEMBLY AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - A catheter assembly for use in an anatomy can include an elongated body, which can have a proximal end and a distal end. The body can also define a lumen from the proximal end to the distal end. The assembly can include at least one electrode, which can be coupled to the distal end to sense an electrical activity within the anatomy. The assembly can include a core wire, which can be received within the lumen from the proximal end to the distal end. The core wire can be configured to move the distal end from a first configuration to a second configuration. The assembly can also include a necked portion, which can be formed between the proximal end and the distal end to provide increased stiffness to the distal end of the body. | 10-14-2010 |
20100305423 | CATHETER HAVING DISTAL SEALING MEMBER - A catheter includes a proximal end, a distal end, a tubular member, and an inner member extending through the tubular member. The inner member is movable axially relative to the tubular member. The catheter also includes a seal member including a first portion and a second portion. The seal member extends between the tubular member and the inner member. The first portion of the seal member remains stationary relative to the tubular member, and the second portion of the seal member remains stationary relative to the inner member during relative axial movement between the tubular member and the inner member. | 12-02-2010 |
20110054287 | CATHETER WITH MULTI-FUNCTIONAL CONTROL HANDLE HAVING ROTATIONAL MECHANISM - A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a rotational control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The rotational control assembly has an outer rotational member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the rotational control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly. | 03-03-2011 |
20110060207 | CATHETER WITH CONTRACTABLE MAPPING ASSEMBLY - The invention is directed to a mapping catheter useful for mapping tubular regions in and around the heart. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body. A mapping assembly is provided at the distal end of the catheter body. The mapping assembly comprises a tubular structure comprising a pre-formed generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrodes are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. A control handle is mounted at the proximal end of the catheter body. A contraction wire extends through the catheter body and non-conductive cover of the mapping assembly for contracting the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. The contraction wire has a distal end anchored in the non-conductive cover and a proximal end anchored to a mechanism in the control handle that facilitates longitudinal movement of the contraction wire relative to the catheter body. The portion of the contraction wire extending through the non-conductive cover is positioned on the side of the generally circular main region closer to the center of the generally circular region. | 03-10-2011 |
20110077498 | CATHETER WITH BIASED PLANAR DEFLECTION - An improved steerable catheter with biased, in-plane bi-directional deflection has an elongated catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section having a tubing with at least a first and a second off-axis opposing lumens for puller wires that define a plane of deflection, and a control handle at a proximal end of the catheter body. The deflectable intermediate section includes at least two elongated bias members that extend along the length and lie on a plane perpendicular to the plane of deflection so as to resist flexure outside of the plane of deflection. In a more detailed embodiment, the deflectable intermediate section has an integrated tubular construction that includes an inner layer, a braided mesh surrounding the inner layer and an outer layer, where the bias members can be situated between the inner layer and the braided mesh, or between the braided mesh and the outer layer. | 03-31-2011 |
20110092789 | MINIATURE CIRCULAR MAPPING CATHETER - A cardiac ablation device, including a catheter and an expandable ablation element incorporating one or more balloons at the distal end of the catheter, has a continuous passageway extending through it from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal side of the expandable ablation element. A probe carrying electrodes is introduced through this passageway and deploys, under the influence of its own resilience, to a structure incorporating a loop which is automatically aligned with the axis of the expandable ablation device, so that minimal manipulation is required to place the probe. The probe may have an atraumatic tip with a ball formed at the leading edge. The atraumatic tip prevents any tissue damage such as perforation of heart wall. | 04-21-2011 |
20110118582 | Magnetically Guided Catheter With Flexible Tip - A catheter includes a flexible tubing having a proximal end and a distal end. The catheter also includes an electrode assembly attached to the distal end of the flexible tubing and including a first magnet therein. The electrode assembly including an electrically conductive tip electrode and an electrically nonconductive coupler which is connected between the tip electrode and the distal end of the flexible tubing. The electrically conductive tip electrode comprises a hollow elongated tip electrode including a sidewall provided with one or more elongated gaps extending through the sidewall. The one or more elongated gaps providing flexibility in the sidewall for bending movement of the tip electrode relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The first magnet is responsive to an external magnetic field to selectively position and guide the electrode assembly within a body of a patient. | 05-19-2011 |
20110152660 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRACKING HEART FAILURE STATUS - Assessing symptomatic and asymptomatic physiologic changes due to chronic heart failure involves apparatus and methods for gauging degradation and possible improvement using automated measurement of inter-ventricular conduction time, both alone and in combination with other automated physiologic tests. Conduction times increase due to the greater distance a wavefront must traverse as a heart enlarges. Analysis of conduction time can be used to verify the occurrence of cardiac remodeling due to heart failure as well as beneficial reverse remodeling due to successful heart failure therapy delivery. Patient activity level(s) and presence/increase in pulmonary fluids can also be used to automatically determine changes in heart failure status and/or predict hospitalization. Conduction time is monitored between electrodes positioned in the left and right ventricles of the heart via endocardial or epicardial electrodes. | 06-23-2011 |
20110160556 | CATHETER WITH STRAIN GAUGE SENSOR - A medical probe, including a flexible insertion tube, having a distal end for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and which is configured to be brought into contact with tissue in the body cavity. The probe further includes a sensor tube of an elastic material, contained inside the distal end of the insertion tube and configured to deform in response to forces exerted by the tissue on the distal end. The probe also includes a plurality of strain gauges fixedly attached to a surface of the sensor tube at different, respective locations and configured to generate respective signals in response to deformations of the sensor tube. | 06-30-2011 |
20110160557 | TESTING COMMUNICATION DURING IMPLANTATION - A system and method are described for testing communication through a patient during implantation using telemetry coupling electrodes on a delivery catheter. In one example, at least two telemetry coupling electrodes may be placed on or within a delivery catheter to test conductive communication with external body electrodes during implantation. In some instances, the telemetry coupling electrodes of the delivery catheter may approximate the spacing of telemetry electrodes on an IMD. In this manner, testing conductively coupled communication with telemetry coupling electrodes of the catheter may be used to mimic the telemetry electrodes on the IMD and determine a target position and/or orientation of an electrode or electrodes of the IMD for successful conductive communication through the body. | 06-30-2011 |
20110218415 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS FROM HEART NERVE ACTIVITY - A method has been developed that detects cardiac arrhythmia from intrinsic cardiac nerve signals obtained from a heart in a patient. The method includes sampling intrinsic cardiac nerve activity at a high sample rate, filtering the sampled signal with a high pass filter, comparing the filtered signal to a predetermined threshold, and initiating a therapeutic action in response to the filtered signal exceeding the predetermined threshold. The intrinsic cardiac nerve activity may be received through an electrode implanted on the heart or from an electrode inserted into the venous structure of the heart. | 09-08-2011 |
20110224526 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECONSTRUCTING AND VIEWING CARDIAC ELECTRICAL ACTIVATION - System and method for the reconstruction of cardiac electrical activation from cardiac electrical signals recorded by intracardiac catheters. The obtained signals are processed using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm to solve the dual signal problem. Visualization of the solution includes geometric information in such a way that the cardiac electrical activity can be identified and localized. The system and method are described as a preferential application for anti-arrhythmic therapies. | 09-15-2011 |
20110224527 | ELECTROMEDICAL IMPLANT AND MONITORING SYSTEM INCLUDING THE ELECTROMEDICAL IMPLANT - An electromedical implant ( | 09-15-2011 |
20110230746 | METHOD, IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE, AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE CONDITION OF A HEART VALVE - An implantable medical device has an impedance processor for determining atrial impedance data reflective of the cardiogenic impedance of an atrium of a heart during diastole and/or systole of heart cycle. Ventricular impedance data reflective of the cardiogenic impedance of a ventricle during diastole and/or systole are also determined. The determined impedance data are processed by a representation processor for estimating a diastolic and/or a systolic atrial impedance representation and a diastolic and/or a systolic ventricular impedance representation. A condition processor determines the presence of any heart valve malfunction, such as valve regurgitation and/or stenosis, of at least one heart valve based on the estimated atrial and ventricular impedance representations. | 09-22-2011 |
20110282176 | MULTI-DIRECTIONAL CATHETER CONTROL HANDLE - An apparatus for deflecting a distal portion of a catheter, a sheath, a medical device, or other flexible elongate member may generally include a handle portion, a pair of adjusting knobs, and deflection wires. The adjusting knobs may be rotatably coupled to the handle portion and operably coupled to the deflection wires. The deflection wires may be in further communication with the distal portion of the flexible elongate member. Rotation of the adjustment knobs may translate or otherwise displace particular deflection wires with respect to the rest of the flexible elongate member, thereby causing the distal portion of the flexible elongate member to deflect. Further, the deflection wires may be oriented such that the distal portion of the flexible elongate member may be deflected in a multitude of directions. | 11-17-2011 |
20110288392 | Kit for Non-Invasive Electrophysiology Procedures and Method of its Use - An electrophysiology catheter for use with a steerable introducer sheath includes a flexible catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one hollow elongate tip electrode disposed at the distal end of the catheter body. The hollow elongate tip electrode includes a sidewall having at least one elongate gap that provides flexibility allowing the tip electrode to bend relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The catheter body is an independent, non-steerable structure, and can be moved via movement of the steerable introducer through which it is introduced into a patient. | 11-24-2011 |
20110295098 | Catherter with Contractable Mapping Assembly - The invention is directed to a mapping catheter useful for mapping tubular regions in and around the heart. The catheter comprises an elongated tubular catheter body. A mapping assembly is provided at the distal end of the catheter body. The mapping assembly comprises a tubular structure comprising a pre-formed generally circular main region generally transverse and distal to the catheter body and having an outer circumference. The tubular structure comprises a non-conductive cover over at least the main region of the mapping assembly. A plurality of electrodes are carried by the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. A control handle is mounted at the proximal end of the catheter body. A contraction wire extends through the catheter body and non-conductive cover of the mapping assembly for contracting the generally circular main region of the mapping assembly. The contraction wire has a distal end anchored in the non-conductive cover and a proximal end anchored to a mechanism in the control handle that facilitates longitudinal movement of the contraction wire relative to the catheter body. The portion of the contraction wire extending through the non-conductive cover is positioned on the side of the generally circular main region closer to the center of the generally circular region. | 12-01-2011 |
20120029335 | Subcutaneous Leads and Methods of Implant and Explant - New and/or alternative designs for implantable leads that have fixation structures to keep leads at a desired location after implant. Fixation structure may take several forms that create distally located fixation for use primarily in subcutaneous implantation. Some examples include new and/or alternative methods of implanting such leads. Some examples also include fixation structures, such as a suture sleeve, that can be attached to a lead for fixation thereof. Some further examples show methods of implanting a subcutaneous lead, and others include methods of extracting implanted subcutaneous leads. | 02-02-2012 |
20120078077 | CARDIAC MAPPING CATHETER - A multi electrode catheter for non contact mapping of the heart having independent articulation and deployment features. | 03-29-2012 |
20120116199 | In-plane dual loop fixed diameter electrophysiology catheters and methods of manufacturing therefor - An EP catheter includes a tubular body having a proximal region, a neck region, and a distal portion predisposed into an in-plane dual loop (at least, approximately, more or less) configuration and including a plurality of diagnostic electrodes. In deflectable catheter forms, at least one activation wire extends through at least a portion of the proximal region of the catheter body and is adapted to deflect the distal portion up to approximately 180 degrees relative to the proximal region. The catheter can be operated manually by a clinician or via a clinician-surrogate such as a computer processor-controlled surgical system. In addition, a variety of localization, visualization, and/or orientation-specific elements can be incorporated into the devices described, depicted, and claimed herein (e.g., metallic coil members, active impedance emitting or receiving electrodes, fluoroscopically opaque materials, and the like). | 05-10-2012 |
20120116200 | Fixed loop deflectable electrophysiology catheters having an extended braid primary shaft coupled to the periphery of the fixed loop and methods of manufacturing therefor - An EP catheter includes a tubular body having a proximal region, a neck region, and a distal portion predisposed into a single shallow helical fixed-diameter loop configuration and including a plurality of diagnostic electrodes. In deflectable catheter forms, at least one activation wire extends through at least a portion of the proximal region of the catheter body and is adapted to deflect the up to approximately 180 degrees relative to the proximal region. The catheter can be operated manually by a clinician or via a clinician-surrogate such as a computer processor-controlled surgical system. In addition, a variety of localization, visualization, and/or orientation-specific elements can be incorporated into the devices described, depicted, and claimed herein (e.g., metallic coil members, active impedance emitting or receiving electrodes, fluoroscopically opaque materials, and the like). | 05-10-2012 |
20120130220 | GUIDEWIRE AND SIGNAL ANALYZER FOR PACING SITE OPTIMIZATION - Cardiac lead implantation systems, devices, and methods for lead implantation are disclosed. An illustrative cardiac lead implantation system comprises a mapping guidewire including one or more electrodes configured for sensing cardiac electrical activity, a signal analyzer including an analysis module configured for analyzing an electrocardiogram signal sensed by the mapping guidewire, and a user interface configured for monitoring one or more hemodynamic parameters within the body. The sensed electrical activity signal can be used by the analysis module to compute a timing interval associated with ventricular depolarization. | 05-24-2012 |
20120143029 | Systems and methods for guiding a medical instrument - A guidance system for assisting with the insertion of a needle into a patient body is disclosed. The guidance system utilizes ultrasound imaging or other suitable imaging technology. In one embodiment, the guidance system comprises an imaging device including a probe for producing an image of an internal body portion target, such as a vessel. One or more sensors are included with the probe. The sensors sense a detectable characteristic related to the needle, such as a magnetic field of a magnet included with the needle. The system includes a processor that uses data relating to the sensed characteristic to determine a 3-D position of the needle. The system includes a display for depicting the position of the needle. In other embodiments, a guidance system for guiding rigid or other medical instruments is disclosed, together with various example implementations thereof. | 06-07-2012 |
20120150009 | Lead For An Active Implantable Medical Device Wtih A Chip For Electrode Multiplexing - A lead for active implantable medical devices comprising a chip, notably for electrode multiplexing. The lead ( | 06-14-2012 |
20120157809 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - An implantable medical device having at least one first and one second longitudinally extended electrical functional conductor for transmitting therapeutic signals or diagnostic signals or both and one electrode pole connected to the functional conductor, the electrical current being delivered to the surrounded bodily tissue in the use case by means of this electrode pole or with which electrical potentials can be sensed in the surrounding tissue in the use case or both, such that the two electrical functional conductors are inductively coupled for defined resonant frequencies such that RF energy of a first functional conductor is diverted to the second functional conductor and the energy is delivered to the surrounding tissue in the use case via this functional conductor and via an electrode pole connected to this functional conductor. | 06-21-2012 |
20120157810 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - A temporarily or permanently implantable medical device having at least one elongated electrical function conductor for transmitting therapeutic signals or diagnostic signals or both. At least one additional conductor is provided which together with the function conductor forms, at least in places, a double line which is separated from the function conductor by a dielectric and which is coupled to the function conductor via a coupling impedance. The coupling impedance is dimensioned so that the value of the line wave impedance of the function conductor for frequency ranges far above a frequency range of the therapeutic or diagnostic signals is much greater than the in the frequency range of the therapeutic or diagnostic signals, so that currents in a frequency range above the frequency range of the therapeutic or diagnostic signals are damped more intensely than the currents which form therapeutic or diagnostic signals. | 06-21-2012 |
20120157811 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - Temporarily or permanently implantable medical device, having at least one longitudinally extended first electrical conductor having a functional lead, which is connected to a functional electrode pole for dispensing therapeutic signals or for detecting diagnostic signals, and including at least one second electrical conductor, which is coupled to the functional lead and is guided with it in a shared insulating sheathing, such that a coupling between the functional lead and the second electrical conductor is designed to input electromagnetic radiofrequency waves guided in the functional lead at least partially into the second electrical conductor. | 06-21-2012 |
20120157812 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - Implantable medical device with at least one long extended electrical conductor that is insulated from the surrounding material by a dielectric having an inside diameter d | 06-21-2012 |
20120157813 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - An implantable medical device having at least one elongated electrical function conductor that transmits therapeutic signals or diagnostic signals or both, and an electrode pole connected to the function conductor to deliver electrical current or field or sense electrical potentials in surrounding tissue during use, or both. Includes a sensing device which is connected to a field-generating electrode pole and potential-sensing electrode pole, and a reference pole, and which is designed to detect generated electrical potentials via the potential-sensing electrode pole in relation to the reference pole, and to generate an output signal which represents a detected electrical potential. Also has a control device connected to the sensing device to evaluate an output signal generated by the sensing device, and to control the medical device as a function of the potential detected by the sensing device. | 06-21-2012 |
20120157814 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - An implantable medical device, which is connected or is to be connected to at least two elongated electric function conductors for the transmission of treatment signals or diagnostic signals or both, and at least one electrode pole connected to at least one of the function conductors, via which electrode pole electric current can be delivered in the case of use to surrounding tissue of the body or with which electric potentials can be sensed in the surrounding tissue or both. Includes a wave transfer module connected to the function conductor and which is embodied to transform waves arriving via a function conductor and to switch them as transformed waves onto another function conductor or the same function conductor in such a controlled manner that the waves are destructively superimposed at the electrode pole. | 06-21-2012 |
20120165643 | MOTION-BASED OPTIMIZATION FOR PLACEMENT OF CARDIAC STIMULATION ELECTRODES - An exemplary method includes use of a multielectrode device that can help position a cardiac stimulation lead to an optimal site in the heart based at least in part on cardiac motion information acquired via the multielectrode device and one or more pairs of current delivery electrodes that establish potential fields (e.g., for use as a coordinate system). An exemplary mutlielectrode device may be a multielectrode catheter or a multifilar, electrode-bearing guidewire. Various other exemplary methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed. | 06-28-2012 |
20120172697 | CATHETER WITH SHEET ARRAY OF ELECTRODES - A medical device has a flexible elongated body, a handle connected to the elongated body, at least one spine connected to the elongated body, and a flexible sheet attached to the at least one spine. The flexible sheet has a plurality of electrodes thereon, wherein the flexible sheet and the plurality of electrodes define a mapping assembly for mapping electrical information in tissue, and wherein the at least one spine and the flexible sheet is movable from a collapsed configuration to a deployed configuration. | 07-05-2012 |
20120190957 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING CARDIAC DISEASE - A method of monitoring progression of cardiac disease includes applying stimulus pulses to the heart and sensing electrophysiological responses of the heart at a plurality of different monitoring locations of the heart. The method also includes comparing a previously and subsequently sensed electrophysiological responses that are sensed near a first location of the monitoring locations and comparing previously and subsequently sensed electrophysiological responses that are sensed near a second location of the monitoring locations. The method further includes identifying a change in progression of cardiac disease of the heart based on a difference between the previously and subsequently sensed electrophysiological responses at the first location and based on a difference between the previously and subsequently sensed electrophysiological responses at the second location. | 07-26-2012 |
20120197100 | Guided Ablation Devices, Systems, And Methods - An embodiment of the invention includes a system for the guidance of a catheter to different regions of tissue (e.g., cardiac tissue) for therapy (e.g., ablation therapy). A plurality of electrodes, such as an array of electrodes, may be configured to perform various tasks. First, some electrodes may measure cardiac polarization. Second, some electrodes may function as magnets (e.g., electromagnets) that guide a separate ablation catheter towards the electromagnetic electrodes. These electromagnetic electrodes may be positioned adjacent tissue that is now recognized (possibly due to the electrodes that measure cardiac polarization) as being in need of ablation therapy. Thus, the electromagnetic electrodes may cooperate with an ablation catheter to render a system with magnetic guidance capabilities using intracardiac magnetic field generation. The system may control electromagnetic forces from the array of electrodes to guide the ablation catheter tip to the desired therapy location. Other embodiments are described herein. | 08-02-2012 |
20120203090 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRACKING STROKE VOLUME USING HYBRID IMPEDANCE CONFIGURATIONS EMPLOYING A MULTI-POLE IMPLANTABLE CARDIAC LEAD - Techniques are provided for use with an implantable medical device for assessing stroke volume or related cardiac function parameters such as cardiac output based on impedance signals obtained using hybrid impedance configurations that exploit a multi-pole cardiac pacing/sensing lead implanted near the left ventricle. In one example, current is injected between a large and stable reference electrode and a ring electrode in the RV. The reference electrode may be, e.g., a coil electrode implanted within the superior vena cava (SVC). Impedance values are measured along a set of different sensing vectors between the reference electrode and each of the electrodes of the multi-pole LV lead. Stroke volume is then estimated and tracked within the patient using the impedance values. In this manner, a hybrid impedance detection configuration is exploited whereby one vector is used to inject current and other vectors are used to measure impedance. | 08-09-2012 |
20120215089 | PHYSICIAN'S PROGRAMMER WITH ST-SEGMENT HISTOGRAM DISPLAY CAPABILITY - A physician's programmer for an implantable device is disclosed. The programmer includes a receiver for receiving wireless transmission data from the implantable heart monitor. A processor is configured to extract from the wireless transmission data ST-deviation histogram data as a function of heart rate. The histogram data for a particular heart rate range is shown on a display in the form of a bar chart. The histogram data for a plurality of heart rate ranges is shown in the form of a chart with multiple line plots. | 08-23-2012 |
20120220849 | Minimally Invasive Physiologic Parameter Recorder and Introducer System - An implantable monitoring device includes a flexible lead body that includes at least one sensing element. The device also includes a rigid main body connected to the flexible lead body at an attachment point. The rigid main body is generally centered about a longitudinal axis defined by the flexible lead body when the lead body is unflexed. The device further includes a measurement circuit, which is housed within the rigid main body and electrically coupled to the at least one sensing element of the flexible lead body and at least another sensing element on an outside surface of the rigid main body. The measurement circuit is configured to measure a potential difference between the at least one sensing element of the flexible lead body and the at least another sensing element of the main body. | 08-30-2012 |
20120253161 | IMPEDANCE BASED ANATOMY GENERATION - Methods and systems for the determination and representation of anatomy anatomical information are disclosed herein. | 10-04-2012 |
20120259194 | CATHETER HAVING A FORCE SENSING DISTAL TIP - A catheter for contact force sensing includes a catheter body, a deflectable section, and a distal section having a tip electrode and a contact force sensor for sensing a 3D contact force vector applied to the tip electrode. The contact force sensor has a body and at least one sensor with an electrical characteristic responsive to deformation of the body resulting from the force vector. The sensor receives an electrical current and outputs an electrical signal indicative of a change in the electrical characteristic. The sensor may be a strain gage responsive to tension and compression of at least a portion of the body of the force sensor, and the electrical characteristic may be electrical resistivity of the strain gage. Alternatively, the sensor may be responsive to strain and stress of at least a portion of the body, and the electrical characteristic is inductance or hysteresis loss. | 10-11-2012 |
20120271136 | METHODS FOR DETECTION OF CARDIAC RHYTHM DISORDERS USING BASKET STYLE CARDIAC MAPPING CATHETER - A method for sensing multiple local electric voltages from endocardial surface of a heart, includes: providing a system for sensing multiple local electric voltages from endocardial surface of a heart, including: a first elongate tubular member having a lumen, a proximal end and a distal end; a basket assembly including: a plurality of flexible splines for guiding a plurality of exposed electrodes, the splines having proximal portions, distal portions and medial portions therein between, wherein the electrodes are substantially flat electrodes and are substantially unidirectionally oriented towards a direction outside of the basket. | 10-25-2012 |
20120271137 | METHOD FOR MONITORING PHYSIOLOGICAL CYCLES OF A PATIENT TO OPTIMIZE PATIENT THERAPY - Improved methods for obtaining physiological parameters of a patient in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention can be used to monitor patient status and/or in conjunction with patient therapy. Physiological parameters can be monitored with an implantable device including a first lead and a second lead. Physiological parameters can be measured along at least three distinct vectors defined by the first lead and second lead, the first lead and an electrode located on the device body, and the second lead an the electrode. An output indicative of the physiological parameter can then be provided. Therapy, such as baroreflex therapy, can optionally be optimized based on the physiological measurements. | 10-25-2012 |
20120277567 | INTRA-CARDIAC TRACKING SYSTEM - In general, in one aspect, a method is disclosed for determining information about a position of an object. The method includes: (i) causing current to flow between each of three or more sets of current-injecting electrodes on a first catheter inserted into an organ in a patient's body, the organ having a periphery (ii) in response to current flow caused by each set of current injecting electrodes, measuring an electrical signal at each of one or more measuring electrodes located on one or more additional catheters inserted into the organ in the patient's body and (iii) determining the position of each of one or more of the measuring electrodes on the additional catheters relative to the first catheter based on the measured signals from the one or more measuring electrodes. | 11-01-2012 |
20120310065 | ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY CATHETER FOR MAPPING AND/OR ABLATION - The present invention encompasses apparatus and methods for mapping electrical activity within the heart. The present invention also encompasses methods and apparatus for creating lesions in the heart tissue (ablating) to create a region of necrotic tissue which serves to disable the propagation of errant electrical impulses caused by an arrhythmia. | 12-06-2012 |
20120310066 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CREATING A HIGH RESOLUTION MAP OF THE ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE HEART - A system method that tracks one or more points on the surface of a cardiac tissue throughout a cardiac cycle and collect various types of data points which are then subsequently used to generate a corresponding model of the tissue and display the model as a 3D color coded image is described. In one embodiment, the system determines the position and orientation of a distal tip of a catheter, manipulates the catheter tip so as to maintain constant contact between the tip and a region of cardiac tissue using the impedance method, acquires positional and electrical data of the tip-tissue configuration through an entire heartbeat cycle, repeats the measurements as many times as needed in different tissue regions, and forms a 3D color coded map displaying various mechanical and electrical properties of the heart using the acquired data. | 12-06-2012 |
20120316416 | Fault Tolerant Methods and Architectures for Embedded Intelligence in Medical Leads - The present disclosure pertains to methods, devices and systems for detection of a lead-related condition in a medical electrical lead. In accordance with the disclosure, a physiological waveform interpreter module embedded within the lead functions to sense the occurrence of a cardiac event and to generate a minimal impact signal. In an example implementation, the physiological waveform interpreter module is disposed proximate to the sensing site or vicinity of cardiac signals. The physiological waveform interpreter module transmits the minimal impact signal that may include one or more predetermined properties to a remotely located lead monitoring module upon sensing a cardiac event. The lead monitoring module receives and processes the minimal impact signal to determine whether a cardiac depolarization has occurred and simultaneously verify the integrity of the transmission medium. | 12-13-2012 |
20120330121 | PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING A MEDICAL USE ELECTRICAL LEAD, AND ELECTRICAL LEADS FOR MEDICAL USE - A process for manufacturing an electrical lead having one or more electrodes includes providing an elongate member having at least one polymeric region and further having at least one electrical conductor that extends along at least a part of a length of the elongate member and that is contained in a wall of the elongate member. A length of the at least one electrical conductor is accessed at the at least one polymeric region. An electrically conductive adhesive is applied to the length of the at least one electrical conductor that has been accessed. | 12-27-2012 |
20130006084 | TRACKING USING FIELD MAPPING - Methods and systems for determining the position of an object, such as tracking the position of one or more catheters in a patient's heart cavity are disclosed herein. | 01-03-2013 |
20130012800 | Introducer for a Minimally Invasive Physiologic Parameter Recorder - An implantable monitoring device includes a flexible lead body that includes at least one sensing element. The device also includes a rigid main body connected to the flexible lead body at an attachment point. The rigid main body is generally centered about a longitudinal axis defined by the flexible lead body when the lead body is unflexed. The device further includes a measurement circuit, which is housed within the rigid main body and electrically coupled to the at least one sensing element of the flexible lead body and at least another sensing element on an outside surface of the rigid main body. The measurement circuit is configured to measure a potential difference between the at least one sensing element of the flexible lead body and the at least another sensing element of the main body. | 01-10-2013 |
20130018246 | Basket Catheter Having Multiple Electrodes - Embodiments of the present invention provide a catheter that comprises an elongated catheter body ( | 01-17-2013 |
20130023746 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF WIRELESS CATHETERS - A method includes disposing multiple medical probes to acquire physiological data concurrently from a living body. The data is sent from the multiple medical probes by transmitting over wireless channels respective sequences of data packets that are marked with respective packet numbers. A synchronization signal that is broadcast to the multiple probes is received in the probes. In response to receiving the synchronization signal, the packet numbers that are to be assigned in the probes to subsequent data packets in the respective sequences are reset. | 01-24-2013 |
20130041243 | USER INTERFACE DEVICES FOR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY LAB DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC EQUIPMENT - In an electrophysiology (EP) lab, a bedside interface device allows an EP physician to directly control various diagnostic and therapeutic systems, including an electro-anatomic mapping system. The bedside interface device can include a computer with wireless communication capability as well as a touch-responsive display panel and voice recognition. The bedside interface device can also be a hand-graspable wireless remote control device that is configured to detect motions or gestures made with the remote control by the physician, allowing the physician to directly interact with the mapping system. The bedside interface device can also be a motion capture camera configured to determine motion patterns of the physician's arms, legs, trunk, face and the like, which are defined in advance to correspond to commands for the mapping system. The bedside interface device may also include voice recognition capabilities to allow a physician to directly issue verbal commands to the mapping system. | 02-14-2013 |
20130060116 | Integrated System for Intravascular Placement of a Catheter - An integrated catheter placement system for accurately placing a catheter within a patient's vasculature is disclosed. In one embodiment, the integrated system comprises a system console, a tip location sensor for temporary placement on the patient's chest, and an ultrasound probe. The tip location sensor senses a magnetic field of a stylet disposed in a lumen of the catheter when the catheter is disposed in the vasculature. The ultrasound probe ultrasonically images a portion of the vasculature prior to intravascular introduction of the catheter. The ultrasound probe includes user input controls for controlling use of the ultrasound probe in an ultrasound mode and use of the tip location sensor in a tip location mode. In another embodiment, ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance is included in the integrated system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart. | 03-07-2013 |
20130060117 | Method and Apparatus for Identifying Oversensing Using Far-Field Intracardiac Electrograms and Marker Channels - A method for identifying oversensing in implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), is described. A near-field electrogram signal and a far-field electrogram signal are obtained via a near-field electrode pair and a far-field electrode pair. The near-field electrogram signal is compared to the far-field electrogram signal and a determination of whether oversensing exists is made based on the comparison. In some instances, a scheduled therapy is withheld in response to determining that oversensing exists. | 03-07-2013 |
20130060118 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE AND METHOD COMPRISING MEANS FOR DETECTING AND CLASSIFYING AN ARRHYTHMIA - An implantable medical device ( | 03-07-2013 |
20130066181 | IMPLANTABLE HEMODYNAMIC MONITOR AND METHODS FOR USE THEREWITH - Provided herein are implantable systems that include an implantable photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, which can be used to obtain an arterial PPG waveform. In an embodiment, a metric of a terminal portion of an arterial PPG waveform is determined, and a metric of an initial portion of the arterial PPG waveform is determined, and a surrogate of mean arterial pressure is determined based on the metric of the terminal portion and the metric of the initial portion. In another embodiment, a surrogate of diastolic pressure is determined based on a metric of a terminal portion of an arterial PPG waveform. In a further embodiment, a surrogate of cardiac afterload is determined based on a metric of a terminal portion of an arterial PPG waveform. | 03-14-2013 |
20130072774 | CARDIO MAPPING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CARDIO MAPPING - A method and system for determining the mechanism of cardiac arrhythmia in a patient is disclosed. The method basically entails measuring the impedance of cardiac tissue in a portion of the patient's heart using a catheter during an episode of supraventricular tachycardia to produce an iso-impedance map of that cardiac tissue on a video display and analyzing the pattern of the iso-impedance map to differentiate focal arrhythmia caused by a circumscribed region of focal firing and reentrant arrhythmia caused by a macroreentrant circuit. The method can also be used to identify regions of coherent rapidly conducting tissue e.g., Bachman's bundle or the inferoposterior pathway insertion points, to identify focal “mother rotors” throughout the left atrium that may participate in the generation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation and to identify areas of CAFE (complex atrial/fractionated electrograms) that truly reflect these mother rotors. | 03-21-2013 |
20130085360 | MAPPING CATHETER WITH SPIRAL ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY - A mapping catheter adapted for use in a heart chamber, has a distal mapping assembly with a spiral ribbon that is radially expandable and contractable by means of an expander so that electrodes on the ribbon can contact heart wall at a plurality of locations simultaneously. The expander extends the length of the catheter between a control handle and a distal end of the spiral ribbon. The expander can be controlled directly at its proximal end by a user or the expander can be responsive to a puller wire controlled by a user interface on the control handle. | 04-04-2013 |
20130096407 | FIXED DIMENSIONAL AND BI-DIRECTIONAL STEERABLE CATHETER CONTROL HANDLE - An apparatus for imparting a tensile force to deflect a distal portion of a catheter while maintaining its exterior dimensions may include a handle grip including a cross-section of generally predetermined exterior dimensions, and a longitudinal axis. A flexible elongate member may include proximal and distal end portions, with the proximal end portion being coupled to the handle grip. An adjustment knob may include a cross-section of generally predetermined exterior dimensions, and is rotatably coupled to the handle grip around the longitudinal axis. An elongate deflection member may be operably coupled to the adjustment knob and to the distal end portion of the elongate member. Rotation of the adjustment knob may impart a tensile force to the deflection member thereby causing the distal end portion of the elongate member to deflect from a prior configuration while maintaining the generally predetermined exterior dimensions of the handle grip and the adjustment knob. | 04-18-2013 |
20130109945 | ELECTROANATOMICAL MAPPING | 05-02-2013 |
20130123597 | Method of Locating the Tip of a Central Venous Catheter - Methods of locating a tip of a central venous catheter (“CVC”) relative to the superior vena cava, sino-atrial node, right atrium, and/or right ventricle using electrocardiogram data. The CVC includes at least one electrode. In particular embodiments, the CVC includes two or three pairs of electrodes. Further, depending upon the embodiment implemented, one or more electrodes may be attached to the patient's skin. The voltage across the electrodes is used to generate a P wave. A reference deflection value is determined for the P wave detected when the tip is within the proximal superior vena cava. Then, the tip is advanced and a new deflection value determined. A ratio of the new and reference deflection values is used to determine a tip location. The ratio may be used to instruct a user to advance or withdraw the tip. | 05-16-2013 |
20130123598 | MRI-GUIDED DEVICES AND MRI-GUIDED INTERVENTIONAL SYSTEMS THAT CAN TRACK AND GENERATE DYNAMIC VISUALIZATIONS OF THE DEVICES IN NEAR REAL TIME - An MRI-compatible catheter includes an elongated flexible shaft having opposite distal and proximal end portions. A handle is attached to the proximal end portion and includes an actuator in communication with the shaft distal end portion that is configured to articulate the shaft distal end portion. The distal end portion of the shaft may include an ablation tip and includes at least one RF tracking coil positioned adjacent the ablation tip that is electrically connected to an MRI scanner. The at least one RF tracking coil is electrically connected to a circuit that reduces coupling when the at least one RF tracking coil is exposed to an MRI environment. Each RF tracking coil is a 1-10 turn solenoid coil, and has a length along the longitudinal direction of the catheter of between about 0.25 mm and about 4 mm. | 05-16-2013 |
20130150695 | Medical Implant and Medical Arrangement - A medical implant comprising a transducer element which induces mechanical vibrations of the implant when electrically and/or magnetically controlled. | 06-13-2013 |
20130172715 | ELECTRODE SUPPORT STRUCTURE ASSEMBLIES - An electrode support structure assembly is provided comprising an electrode support structure including a plurality of splines. Each of the plurality of splines can have a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The assembly further comprises a first element defining an axis and comprising an outer surface. The outer surface comprises a plurality of slots configured to receive the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines. The first element is configured such that the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines may move with respect to each slot. In accordance with some embodiments, the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines comprises a section configured for engagement with the first element, wherein the section comprises a shoulder. | 07-04-2013 |
20130184550 | MRI-COMPATIBLE IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL LEAD - An implantable medical lead ( | 07-18-2013 |
20130190587 | HIGH-DENSITY ELECTRODE-BASED MEDICAL DEVICE SYSTEM - A medical device system is disclosed including a high-density arrangement of transducers, which may be configured to ablate, stimulate, or sense characteristics of tissue inside a bodily cavity, such as an intra-cardiac cavity. High-density arrangements of transducers may be achieved, at least in part, by overlapping elongate members on which the transducers are located, and varying sizes, shapes, or both of the transducers, especially in view of the overlapping of the elongate members. Also, the high-density arrangements of transducers may be achieved, at least in part, by including one or more recessed portions in an elongate member in order to expose one or more transducers on an underlying elongate member in a region adjacent an elongate-member-overlap region. | 07-25-2013 |
20130197337 | MULTI-BEND STEERABLE MAPPING CATHETER - An electrophysiology catheter introduced through the groin and inferior vena cava into the right side of the heart comprises an elongate flexible shaft having a steerable distal section and a prolapsing section located proximally of the distal section. The distal section is inserted into the coronary sinus and a back-steering force is applied to the catheter to anchor the distal section therein, after which the catheter is further advanced to prolapse the prolapsing section against the high right atrium. Electrical pathways in both the coronary sinus and the high right atrium are mapped using respective electrode pairs carried on the distal and prolapsing sections of the catheter. | 08-01-2013 |
20130217992 | Electrode Device, in Particular for Cardiovascular Application - An electrode device, in particular for cardiovascular applications, includes an elongated electrode body made from an insulating material, a plurality of electrodes for detecting electrocardiological signals and/or for outputting electrocardiological stimulus signals, and supply line, in particular non-elastic cables or strands, which serve for electrically connecting the electrodes, which supply lines are guided in each case in the electrode body, preferably in associated lumina. Furthermore, a compensating hose section is provided which is inserted in a parting point in the electrode and has a maximum outer diameter that corresponds to the electrode body, wherein helically shaped receptacles, for each supply line, are incorporated in the compensating hose section, and the compensating hose section, at its joining sides facing toward the electrode body, is connected in a hermetically sealed manner to the electrode body. | 08-22-2013 |
20130237791 | System and methods for locating and ablating arrhythomogenic tissues - The disclosure relates to a variety of systems and methods for sensing electrical events about a selected annulus region of the heart and for treating tissue in the selected annulus region. Wherein the system includes a first catheter that has an expandable member, an ablation element, and a lumen configured to allow a second catheter therethrough. The second catheter includes a distal section in a ring shape and a plurality of electrodes coupled around the ring. Optionally a second lumen can be included through the first catheter that allows for contrast media to be delivered to the distal end of the system. | 09-12-2013 |
20130237792 | Method and Apparatus for Detecting Change in Intrathoracic Electrical Impedance - A method and apparatus for detection of changes in impedance a patient that includes generating measured impedances, generating an adaptive baseline trend of the measured impedances corresponding to a first time period, generating a short term trend of the measured impedances corresponding to a second time period less than the first time period, determining changes in relative position of the short term trend and the baseline trend, the determined changes in relative position corresponding to determining intersecting of the baseline trend by the short term trend, determining differences between the baseline trend and calculated period average impedances, and accumulating, in response to determining no intersecting of the baseline trend by the short term trend, the determined differences between the baseline trend and the calculated period average impedances. | 09-12-2013 |
20130253298 | CARDIAC MAPPING CATHETER - A multi electrode catheter for non contact mapping of the heart having independent articulation and deployment features. | 09-26-2013 |
20130274582 | System and Method for Diagnosing Arrhythmias and Directing Catheter Therapies - An efficient system for diagnosing arrhythmias and directing catheter therapies may allow for measuring, classifying, analyzing, and mapping spatial electrophysiological (EP) patterns within a body. The efficient system may further guide arrhythmia therapy and update maps as treatment is delivered. The efficient system may use a medical device having a high density of sensors with a known spatial configuration for collecting EP data and positioning data. Further, the efficient system may also use an electronic control system (ECU) for computing and providing the user with a variety of metrics, derivative metrics, high definition (HD) maps, HD composite maps, and general visual aids for association with a geometrical anatomical model shown on a display device. | 10-17-2013 |
20130289377 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device system includes an elongated lead body carrying a hydrophone. In some embodiments, the elongated lead body has outer surface and an opening along the outer surface. The hydrophone is configured to receive acoustical signals through the opening of the lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system. In some examples, the lead body outer surface has a shaped contour for directing the opening for receiving the sounds from a direction of the targeted location. A processor is enabled to receive signals from the hydrophone and detect a cardiac condition in response to the signals. | 10-31-2013 |
20130289378 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device that includes an elongated lead body having an outer surface and an opening along the outer surface, a first sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive acoustic signals through the opening of the first lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system, and a processor configured to detect change in an S-T segment of sensed cardiac signals, and receive the acoustic signal and determine whether the sensed cardiac signals correspond to one of acute myocardial infarct and myocardial ischemia in response to the detected change. | 10-31-2013 |
20130289379 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CARDIAC FUNCTION MONITORING - An implantable medical device that includes an elongated lead body having an outer surface and a first opening along the outer surface, a first sensor positioned along the lead body and configured to receive first acoustic signals through the first opening of the lead body and generate an electrical signal representative of sounds produced at a first targeted location along a patient's cardiovascular system, and a processor configured to determine an intensity of the first acoustic signals, and determine changes in blood pressure in response to the determined intensity. | 10-31-2013 |
20130296679 | IMPEDANCE DETECTION OF VENOUS PLACEMENT OF MULTI-ELECTRODE CATHETERS - Systems and methods for assessing electrode position, including positioning a plurality of electrodes within a heart and proximate a pulmonary vein; obtaining an impedance measurement from each of the plurality of electrodes; determining whether any of the plurality of electrodes is located within the pulmonary vein based at least in part on the obtained impedance measurements; and generating an indication if at least one of the plurality of electrodes is determined to be located within the pulmonary vein. | 11-07-2013 |
20130303872 | INJECTABLE LEADLESS HEART STIMULATION AND/OR MONITORING DEVICE - An injectable leadless heart stimulation and/or monitoring system is provided that includes an device having a sealed housing, one or more electrodes configured to electrically contact heart tissue when in use and electric components arranged within the housing. The electric components are at least in part operationally connected to the at least one electrode. The electric components include a power supply for providing power to the electric components. The power supply includes a rechargeable battery and further includes an implant-based coil that is configured to receive electric power via a tuned magnetic or electromagnetic field. | 11-14-2013 |
20130310674 | System and method for assessing effective delivery of ablation therapy - A system and method for assessing effective delivery of ablation therapy to a tissue in a body is provided. A three-dimensional anatomical map of the tissue is generated and displayed with the map defining a corresponding volume. An index is generated corresponding to a location within the volume with the index indicative of a state of ablation therapy at the location. The index may be derived from one or more factors such as the duration an ablation electrode is present at the location, the amount of energy provided, the degree of electrical coupling between an ablation electrode and the tissue at the location and temperature. A visual characteristic (e.g., color intensity) of a portion of the anatomical map corresponding to the location is then altered responsive to the index. | 11-21-2013 |
20130310675 | Filtering method for surface modeling - A system for mapping a tissue surface includes a probe for mapping a tissue surface, a localization system to measure a location data point indicative of the probe's location, a memory in which to store the location data point, a servo mechanism to move the probe along at least a portion of the tissue surface, a controller to move the probe to a plurality of locations and to record in the memory a plurality of location data points, and a contact-sensing processor to analyze the plurality of location data points and to identify a subset thereof on the tissue surface. A modeling processor generates a model of the tissue surface using the subset of location data points. The contact-sensing processor utilizes probe velocity, or a rate of change in the distance moved by the probe, to determine contact between the probe and the tissue surface. | 11-21-2013 |
20130324825 | Leadless Pacemaker with Multiple Electrodes - A leadless pacemaker for pacing a heart of a human is provided, which can include any number of features. In some embodiments, the pacemaker can include a hermetic housing, a first electrode configured to fix the pacemaker to the heart, a second electrode exterior to the hermetic housing, a pulse generator disposed in the hermetic housing and configured to generate electrical pulses, the pulse generator being electrically connectable to the first and second electrodes, and a controller disposed in the hermetic housing and operatively connected to the pulse generator and a switching circuit to control the delivery of the electrical pulses between the first electrode or the second electrode and the metallic housing to stimulate the heart. In some embodiments, the pacemaker can include three electrodes, and can pace the heart with a first pair of electrodes and sense the heart with a second pair of electrodes. | 12-05-2013 |
20130345536 | DISLOCATION SENSOR - A cardiac therapy device and/or a cardiac monitoring device connected to at least one electrode lead that includes at least one first sensing electrode pole and at least one second sensing electrode pole. The at least one first and second sensing electrode poles move relative to one another during operation of the device. The device further includes a dislocation detection unit connected directly or indirectly to the at least one first and second sensing electrode poles. In order to detect dislocation, the dislocation detection unit evaluates detection times at the at least one first and second sensing electrode pole relative to one another. The detection times are ascribable to a cardiac event, such that the dislocation unit generates a dislocation signal if the relative time relationship of the detection times changes beyond a predetermined value, or a specifically determined value changes compared to a previously recorded reference value. | 12-26-2013 |
20130345537 | FAR-FIELD VS LOCAL ACTIVATION DISCRIMINATION ON MULTI-ELECTRODE EGMS USING VECTOR ANALYSIS IN MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SIGNAL SPACE - Electrical activity propagation along an electrode array within a cardiac chamber is reconstructed. Signals are sampled from the electrode array and the signals are plotted in multi-dimensional space with each axis corresponding to a channel in the electrode array. An excursion direction of global activation in the multi-dimensional space is estimated and a change in vectors of the sampled signals over time is determined. Signals with vectors that change over time in the excursion direction are suppressed. | 12-26-2013 |
20130345538 | Intracardiac Tracking System - In general, in one aspect, a method is disclosed for determining information about a position of an object. The method includes: (i) causing current to flow between each of three or more sets of current-injecting electrodes on a first catheter inserted into an organ in a patient's body, the organ having a periphery (ii) in response to current flow caused by each set of current injecting electrodes, measuring an electrical signal at each of one or more measuring electrodes located on one or more additional catheters inserted into the organ in the patient's body and (iii) determining the position of each of one or more of the measuring electrodes on the additional catheters relative to the first catheter based on the measured signals from the one or more measuring electrodes. | 12-26-2013 |
20140005513 | EPICARDIAL MAPPING ELECTRODE | 01-02-2014 |
20140018656 | Cardiac navigation system including electrode array for use therewith - A cardiac navigation system including a mapping catheter, a control system coupled to the mapping catheter, an electrode array, and means for driving an electrical current across the electrode array. The mapping catheter includes means for sensing an electrical field. The control system includes means for receiving sensed signals from the mapping catheter. The cardiac navigation system includes at least one electrode array including means for providing an electrical field across three axes. The three axes are approximately orthogonal with respect to one another. The means for driving an electrical current across the three axes includes means for providing a plurality of individual current sources to the electrode array. As such, the cardiac navigation system presented provides a more uniform sheet of current across an area of interest, the mapping catheter senses the electrical field across the area of interest, and the control system determines a three-dimensional location of the mapping catheter based on the sensed electrical field. | 01-16-2014 |
20140024910 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE GEOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL DIPOLE DENSITIES ON THE CARDIAC WALL - Disclosed are devices, a systems, and methods for determining the dipole densities on heart walls. In particular, a triangularization of the heart wall is performed in which the dipole density of each of multiple regions correlate to the potential measured at various locations within the associated chamber of the heart. | 01-23-2014 |
20140024911 | TRACKING SYSTEM USING FIELD MAPPING - In some aspects, a method includes (i) securing multiple sets of current injecting electrodes to an organ in a patient's body, (ii) causing current to flow among the multiple sets of current injecting electrodes to generate a field in the organ, (iii) in response to current flow caused by the multiple sets of current injecting electrodes, measuring the field at each of one or more additional electrodes, (iv) determining expected signal measurements of the field inside the organ using a pre-determined model of the field, and (v) determining a position of each of the one or more additional electrodes in the organ based on the measurements made by the additional electrodes and the determined expected signal measurements of the field. | 01-23-2014 |
20140031660 | ISOLATING LEAD BODY FOR FAULT DETECTION - Techniques are described for detecting lead-related conditions for implantable electrical leads. In some of the described embodiments, an implantable electrical lead assembly is provided with a coupling member for connecting a conductor and associated insulator(s) to an electrode/sensing element. The implantable medical device controls and performs a measurement of an electrical property of the electrical lead during periods when the conductor is decoupled from the electrode/sensing element. An indication of a lead-related condition is derived based on the measured electrical property. The lead-related condition may be associated with an insulator of a lead body of the electrical lead. | 01-30-2014 |
20140039289 | SYNCHRONIZATION OF WIRELESS CATHETERS - A method includes disposing multiple medical probes to acquire physiological data concurrently from a living body. The data is sent from the multiple medical probes by transmitting over wireless channels respective sequences of data packets that are marked with respective packet numbers. A synchronization signal that is broadcast to the multiple probes is received in the probes. In response to receiving the synchronization signal, the packet numbers that are to be assigned in the probes to subsequent data packets in the respective sequences are reset. | 02-06-2014 |
20140046162 | System and Method for Measuring Absolute Cardiac Volume Using a Combined Blood and Muscle Conductivity Model - A method for real-time observation of absolute ventricular volume wherein electrical measurements are made with a tetra polar catheter and compared to electrical measurements in a database, said database being assembled using electric field theory to predict the non-linear relation between blood volume and electrical measurements between a fist limit characterized by an infinitely thick volume of blood and second limit characterized by infinitely thick tissue completely surrounding the catheter. The calculations are performed under the assumption that the blood is surrounded by an infinitely thick region of tissue. | 02-13-2014 |
20140051959 | MACHINE LEARNING IN DETERMINING CATHETER ELECTRODE CONTACT - Cardiac catheterization is carried out by memorizing a designation of a contact state between an electrode of the probe and the heart wall as one of an in-contact state and an out-of-contact state, and making a series of determinations of an impedance phase angle of an electrical current passing through the electrode and another electrode, identifying maximum and minimum phase angles in the series, and defining a binary classifier adaptively as midway between the extremes. A test value is compared to the classifier as adjusted by a hysteresis factor, and a change in the contact state is reported when the test value exceeds or falls below the adjusted classifier. | 02-20-2014 |
20140066738 | SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR MAPPING ORGAN PROFILES - Devices, systems, and methods for the localization of body lumen junctions and other intraluminal structure are disclosed. Various embodiments permit clinicians to identify and locate lesions and/or anatomical structures within a lumen and accurately place leads and/or devices within a lumen, through determining the intralumen conductance and/or cross-sectional area at a plurality of locations within the body lumen. | 03-06-2014 |
20140073893 | OPEN IRRIGATED-MAPPING LINEAR ABLATION CATHETER - A catheter device for use in ablating heart tissues includes an elongate body having a proximal end and an opposite distal end, and a tip section positioned at the distal end of the elongate body. The tip section includes a first jaw member and a second jaw member each including a proximal portion, a distal portion, an outer surface, and an inner surface. The jaw members are pivotally joined to one another at the proximal portions thereof, and the tip section is configured to transition between a closed configuration in which the inner surfaces are at least partially in contact with one another, and an open configuration in which the distal portions of the jaw members are deflected away from one another. The tip section is operable as ablation electrode for selectively ablating the heart tissues. | 03-13-2014 |
20140073894 | NON-LINEAR FILTERING FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF A SURFACE ELECTROCARDIOGRAM FROM AN ENDOCARDIAL ELECTROGRAM - An active medical device using non-linear filtering for the reconstruction of a surface electrocardiogram (ECG) from an endocardial electrogram (EGM) is disclosed. The device for the reconstruction of the surface ECG comprises: a plurality of inputs, receiving a corresponding plurality of EGM signals from endocardial or epicardial electrogram (x | 03-13-2014 |
20140081111 | MAP AND ABLATE CLOSED-LOOP COOLED ABLATION CATHETER - A system for performing mapping and ablation functions includes a catheter sized and shaped for vascular access. The catheter includes an elongate body extending between a proximal end and a distal end. A tip section positioned at the distal end of the catheter body and includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. One or more electrode structures are formed on an exterior surface of the tip section. The one or more electrode structures each includes a mapping electrode at the distal portion of the tip section and a contact pad electrically coupled to the mapping electrode. | 03-20-2014 |
20140081112 | MAP AND ABLATE CLOSED-LOOP COOLED ABLATION CATHETER WITH FLAT TIP - A system for performing mapping and ablation functions includes a catheter sized and shaped for vascular access. The catheter includes an elongate body extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having at least one inner fluid lumen. The catheter further includes a tip section positioned proximate to the distal end of the body. The tip section includes a proximal portion and a distal portion. The distal portion can have a distal end that can be substantially planar. The system also includes one or more electrode structures exposed at the tip section such that the one or more electrode structures disposed proximate the substantially planar distal end of the tip section | 03-20-2014 |
20140081113 | REMOTELY CONTROLLED CATHETER INSERTION SYSTEM - Embodiment methods of treating a human or animal patient using a remotely controlled robotic catheter device inserting a handle of a catheter into a handle controller, inserting the catheter tubular portion into a resealable delivery channel forming a sterile barrier to a sled base, engaging a tip of the catheter with a sterile introducer disposed at an end of the sled base and engaged with the patient's body, positioning the catheter into the patient's body by remotely sending commands to the tele-robotic device to cause the sled member to advance toward the patient's body, and performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on the patient using the catheter. Diagnostic or therapeutic procedures may include a mapping procedure, an ablation procedure, an angioplasty procedure, a drug delivery procedure; an electrophysiology procedure, a radiological procedure, and a medical device implantation or positioning procedure. | 03-20-2014 |
20140107453 | REAL-TIME SIGNAL COMPARISON TO GUIDE ABLATION CATHETER TO THE TARGET LOCATION - A catheter system includes a plurality of mapping electrodes, an electrode movable relative to the plurality of mapping electrodes, and a guidance system coupled to the plurality of mapping electrodes and the ablation electrode. The guidance system is configured to receive signals associated with intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes and the movable electrode, and to correlate in real-time the intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the movable electrode with the intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes based on the signals received by the plurality of mapping electrodes and movable electrode to determine a location of the movable electrode with respect to the plurality of mapping electrodes. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107454 | MEANS AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF CARDIAC EVENTS - Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an increased heart rate or exertion. The system can also alert the patient with a less urgent alarm if a heart arrhythmia is detected. Using different algorithms, the cardiosaver can detect a change in the patient's electrogram that is indicative of a cardiac event within five minutes after it occurs and then automatically warn the patient that the event is occurring. To provide this warning, the system includes an internal alarm sub-system (internal alarm means) within the cardiosaver and/or an external alarm system (external alarm means) which are activated after the ST segment of the electrogram exceeds a preset threshold. | 04-17-2014 |
20140128708 | METHOD FOR MONITORING PHYSIOLOGICAL CYCLES OF A PATIENT TO OPTIMIZE PATIENT THERAPY - Physiological parameters of a patient can be used to monitor patient status and/or in conjunction with patient therapy. Physiological cycles may be monitored by implanting a monitoring system into the patient, the system including an implantable pulse generator operably connected to a lead implanted on a carotid sinus of the patient, measuring at least one signal indicative of a physiological parameter of the patient along at least two vectors selected from: a first vector defined between a first electrode of the lead and a second electrode of the lead, a second vector defined between the first electrode of the lead and an electrode integrated into an implantable pulse generator, and a third vector defined between the second electrode of the lead and the electrode integrated into the implantable pulse generator, and providing an output indicative of the at least one signal indicative of the physiological parameter. | 05-08-2014 |
20140135607 | Multiple electrodes and connecting wires for neural and muscular stimulation and measurement device - A device to make multiple, simultaneous measurements of electrical activity on neural, muscular and other animal cells. The invention discloses multiple electrodes at fixed position on a supporting structure and multiple wires to connect the electrodes to one or more measuring devices. The electrodes are preferentially closed spaced, to allow for small spatial discrimination between measurement points. The electrodes and the wires are selected by binary addresses. The device is also capable of injecting electrical stimulation using electrodes not in use for measurements. An injected electrical stimulation at a first location may be created to measure the effect of a well-known event at another location or locations, near or far away. | 05-15-2014 |
20140142406 | GUIDED MYOCARDIAL SUBSTRATE CHARACTERIZATION AND INFARCT SCAR LOCATION - An apparatus and method for quantifying myocardial kinetics by positioning two sensors on a myocardial substrate site so that one sensor is directly opposing the other along a ventricular wall; tracking a relative displacement between the two sensors; and determining whether there is an infarct based on the tracked relative displacement. | 05-22-2014 |
20140148673 | METHOD OF ANCHORING PULLWIRE DIRECTLY ARTICULATABLE REGION IN CATHETER - A catheter comprises a flexible polymer catheter body including a proximal shaft section and a distal working section, a wire support structure embedded within the distal working section of the catheter body, a proximal adapter mounted to the proximal shaft section of the catheter body, and a wire disposed within the catheter body. The wire has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end of the wire being operably connected to the proximal adapter, and the distal end of the wire is anchored to the wire support structure. | 05-29-2014 |
20140148674 | Bendable catheter arms having varied flexibility - In various embodiments, a catheter comprising an expandable electrode assembly or basket is provided. In specific embodiments, the basket is particularly useful for mapping electrical activity at one or more locations within the heart. The basket can comprise a plurality of bendable or deflectable arms. At least one of the arms may have varied flexibility over its length in the form of one or more discontinuities of stiffness or flexibility at an elbow region or other variances in flexibility over the arm's length. Such variance in flexibility may allow the arm to assume a different bent configuration or respond to external factors more positively than possible with an arm having a static or near static flexibility or stiffness over its length. | 05-29-2014 |
20140155721 | CORRECTION OF SHIFT AND DRIFT IN IMPEDANCE-BASED MEDICAL DEVICE NAVIGATION USING MEASURED IMPEDANCES AT EXTERNAL PATCH ELECTRODES - A system and method are provided for determining characteristics of a device electrode disposed on a medical device within a body. A plurality of measurement electrodes are coupled to an external surface of the body and establish transmission paths for current through the body. An electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to cause transmission of current between a pair of active electrodes selected from the measurement electrodes and thereby generate a voltage on the device electrode. The ECU receives impedance signals from a plurality of passive electrodes among the measurement electrodes other than the active electrodes. The ECU establishes a virtual reference electrode at a reference position within the body responsive to the impedance signals and computes a position of the device responsive to the voltage on the device electrode and the reference position of the reference electrode. The ECU may also compute impedances at the device and measurement electrodes. | 06-05-2014 |
20140155722 | CATHETER SYSTEMS FOR MEASURING ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF TISSUE AND METHODS OF USE - Catheter systems for measuring at least one electrical property, e.g., impedance, of cardiac tissue of a living being are disclosed. The system includes a catheter having a tip with a sensing electrode, a guard electrode and an electrical shield. The sensing electrode is arranged to engage the cardiac tissue and is coupled to circuitry for measuring the at least one electrical property of the cardiac tissue, shielding the sensing electrode from bulk blood adjacent the cardiac tissue. The measurement can gated to the cardiac cycle. Additional embodiments include multi-electrode sensor catheter tips for high density mapping. Moreover, such tips may be dynamically configurable, i.e., their electrodes can be variably assigned as sensor electrodes or guard electrodes by associated circuitry. Such multi-electrode configuration and reconfiguration can be gated to the cardiac cycle. | 06-05-2014 |
20140163347 | MULTI- ARRAY MONOPHASIC POTENTIAL MEDICAL DEVICE - A medical device including a catheter having a shaft with a distal portion; a first plurality of substantially hemispherical electrodes coupled to the distal portion; a second plurality of substantially hemispherical electrodes coupled to the shaft proximal of the first plurality, where the second plurality of electrodes are oriented substantially orthogonal to the first plurality of electrodes; and an additional electrode coupled to the shaft. A console may have a processor in electrical communication with the first and second plurality of electrodes and the reference electrode, the processor programmed to obtaining a monophasic action potential recording from at least one of the first and second plurality of electrodes. | 06-12-2014 |
20140180051 | ROTOR IDENTIFICATION USING SEQUENTIAL PATTERN MATCHING - An anatomical mapping system includes a plurality of mapping electrodes each having an electrode location and configured to detect activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity within an anatomical structure. A mapping processor is associated with the plurality of mapping electrodes and is configured to record the detected activation signals and associate one of the plurality of mapping electrodes with each recorded activation signal. The mapping processor is further configured to analyze the recorded activation signals to identify at least one recurring pattern based on a relationship between a timing of the detected activation signals and the electrode locations of the mapping electrode associated with each detected activation signal. | 06-26-2014 |
20140194716 | CATHETER WITH MULTIPLE SPINES OF DIFFERENT LENGTHS ARRANGED IN ONE OR MORE DISTAL ASSEMBLIES - A catheter having a distal assembly with multiple spines with proximal ends affixed to the catheter and free distal ends. The spines have different lengths so distal ends of the spines trace different circumferences along an inner tissue surface of a tubular region to minimize risk of vein stenosis. The spine lengths can be configured so that the distal ends trace a helical pattern. The distal assembly may have a plunger which deflects the spines when moved longitudinally relative to the distal assembly. The catheter may include a second distal assembly distal of a first distal assembly wherein the first and second distal assemblies are separated by a fixed distanced or an adjustable distance. | 07-10-2014 |
20140194717 | SUPPORTING A HEART - A heart support system featuring a sheath sized to fit about at least a portion of an adult human heart in a living body, an expansion sleeve disposed within the sheath and sized to fit about the heart and a sensor sleeve disposed within the sheath and sized to fit about the heart. The expansion sleeve is at least partially defining an expandable chamber. The sensor sleeve carries at least one sensor electrically responsive to a heart parameter. | 07-10-2014 |
20140194718 | CATHETER WITH A MECHANISM FOR OMNI-DIRECTIONAL DEFLECTION OF CATHETER SHAFT - A catheter with a mechanism for omni-directional deflection of a catheter shaft includes a shaft assembly and a controller. The shaft assembly includes a first tubular component that has a preformed curvilinear distal section, a second, substantially straight tubular component with a main axis and an outer shaft. The first and second components are configured for slidable movement therebetween while preserving common rotation so that when the second component is axially moved in a distal direction, the second component deflects the preformed curvilinear section towards the main axis while orientation of the outer shaft is preserved. The controller is configured to effect relative axial movement between the first and second components as well as to effect rotation of the first and second components (and thus also of the preformed curvilinear distal section) without any rotation of the shaft relative to the handle. Varying the deflection of the preformed curvilinear section in combination with variable rotational movement achieves omni-directional distal tip bending. | 07-10-2014 |
20140200429 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MAPPING CARDIAC FIBRILLATION - Methods and systems for mapping cardiac fibrillation in a patient include deploying a catheter in the patient's heart, wherein the catheter includes an array of at least one stacked electrode pair having a first electrode and a second electrode. Each electrode pair is configured to be orthogonal to the surface of a cardiac tissue substrate. A plurality of measurements are obtained from the electrode array in response to electrical activity in the cardiac tissue substrate for a duration indicative of a number of electrical circuit cores and distribution of the electrical circuit cores across the cardiac tissue substrate in the patient's heart. These are processed to obtain the density and distribution of electrical circuit cores which are mapped onto a representation of the patient's heart. | 07-17-2014 |
20140200430 | CATHETER SYSTEMS AND RELATED METHODS FOR MAPPING, MINIMIZING, AND TREATING CARDIAC FIBRILLATION - Catheters, systems, and related methods for optimized for mapping, minimizing, and treating cardiac fibrillation in a patient, including an array of at least one stacked electrode pair, each electrode pair including a first electrode and a second electrode, wherein each electrode pair is configured to be orthogonal to a surface of a cardiac tissue substrate, wherein each first electrode is in contact with the surface to record a first signal, and wherein each second electrode is separated from the first electrode by a distance which enables the second electrode to record a second signal, wherein the catheter is configured to obtain one or more measurements from at least a first signal and a second signal in response to electrical activity in the cardiac tissue substrate indicative of a number of electrical circuit cores and distribution of the electrical circuit cores for a duration across the cardiac tissue substrate. | 07-17-2014 |
20140221804 | PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGNAL DETECTION SYSTEM - The present invention provides a handy remote physiological signal detection system, comprising a sensing unit, a stimulation unit and a control unit. The sensing unit includes a detecting electrode, a first surface detection electrode, a second surface detection electrode and a sensing module. The sensing modules is used to detect the signals between the detection electrode and the first surface detection electrode to get an epicardial detection signal, and is also used to detect the signals between the second surface detection electrode and the first detection electrode to get a surface-ECG signal. The stimulus unit includes a stimulating electrode and a stimulus module used to provide a stimulus signal to the stimulating electrode. The control unit includes a user interface and a processing module used to convert the epicardial detection signal and the surface-ECG signal to digital signals and display the digital signals in the user interface. All systems were controlled through the remote system and are small and handy. | 08-07-2014 |
20140235987 | METHOD AND DETERMINATION OF CARDIAC ACTIVATION FROM ELECTROGRAMS WITH MULTIPLE DEFLECTIONS - A method and system for determining activation times for electric potentials from complex electrograms to identify the location of arrhythmic sources or drivers. The method includes counting a number deflections in a recorded cardiac electrogram signal from at least one electrode for a predetermined amount of time. A deflection time is identified for each of the counted number of deflections. A most negative slope is identified between each of the identified deflections times. Each of the identified most negative slopes is correlated to a possible activation time. Each possible activation time is associated with a corresponding electrode from the at least one electrode. A spatial voltage gradient at each corresponding electrode is calculated for each possible activation time. The greatest spatial voltage gradient is identified. The greatest spatial voltage gradient is correlated to an activation time. | 08-21-2014 |
20140235988 | METHODS FOR SIMULTANEOUS CARDIAC SUBSTRATE MAPPING USING SPATIAL CORRELATION MAPS BETWEEN NEIGHBORING UNIPOLAR ELECTROGRAMS - A base cardiac electrogram signal at a base electrode is recorded for a predetermined amount of time. A plurality of cardiac electrogram signals at a plurality of electrodes other than the base electrode are recorded for the predetermined amount of time. The base cardiac electrogram signal is compared with each of the plurality of cardiac electrogram signals. The similarities between the base cardiac electrogram signal and each of the plurality of cardiac electrogram signals is determined. A specific area of cardiac tissue where the base electrode is positioned is mapped based at least in part on the determined similarities. | 08-21-2014 |
20140235989 | LOCALIZATION FOR ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MAPPING | 08-21-2014 |
20140243641 | METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR REAL-TIME CARDIAC MAPPING - A method and system of electroanatomical mapping comprises bringing a patient's image such as a fluoroscopic image and intracardiac signals into a computer based mapping system. Electroanatomical mapping or superimposing of cardiac electrical activity on fluoroscopic image is provided by placing visual indicators on electrode pairs of various catheters including standard catheters and ablation catheter. Visual indicators are coupled or linked to underlying electric signals from those electrode pairs via software coding, whereby electrical activity sequence of the heart is provided and updated in real-time on fluoroscopic image. A combination of fluoroscopic image and CT or MRI may also be used. The mapping system further comprises various algorithms for aiding in cardiac mapping and ablation of cardiac arrhythmias. | 08-28-2014 |
20140243642 | RETRACTABLE MAPPING JACKET - An accessory and system to provide a medical device with mapping and ablation functionality. The system may include an ablation device with a handle, a treatment element, and an elongate body. The ablation element may be located on the elongate body distal portion, and a mapping sleeve may be disposable about at least part of the distal portion of the ablation device and may include mapping electrodes disposed on the outer surface. The mapping sleeve proximal region may include a retraction element defining a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being coupled to the proximal region of the mapping sleeve, such that retracting the retraction element toward the elongate body proximal portion pulls the mapping sleeve away from the treatment element of the ablation device. | 08-28-2014 |
20140257070 | PROCESSING OF LAP SIGNALS - Cardiac valve events are monitored by recording a left atrial pressure (LAP) representing signal using an implantable pressure sensor ( | 09-11-2014 |
20140257071 | System and Method for Detecting Sheathing and Unsheathing of Localization Elements - A method of detecting whether a localization element is within or outside of an introducer sheath generally includes obtaining a localization signal from the localization element and detecting the state of the localization element relative to the sheath based upon the quadrature component of the localization signal. A baseline quadrature component is typically established with the localization element outside of the sheath. When the quadrature component deviates from this baseline value, it is indicative of the localization element being within the sheath. Conversely, when the quadrature component remains relatively close to the baseline value, it is indicative of the localization element being outside of the sheath. In an electrophysiology study, the state information can be used to take corrective action with respect to the data being collected. | 09-11-2014 |
20140257072 | SUBCUTANEOUS CARDIAC MONITORING DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS - An implantable cardiac monitoring device includes first and second arms, pivotably attached to one another; electronic circuitry and an associated power source of the device are hermetically sealed in a housing formed by one of the arms. A first electrode is carried by the first arm, a second electrode by the second arm, and a third electrode by one of the two arms. The device further includes a tether element, preferably a strut, pivotably attached between the arms and movable between a folded state and an expanded state. When the strut is in the folded state, the device, in a relatively compact form, can be inserted through a relatively small incision and into subcutaneous tissue, after which, the strut is moved to the expanded state where ends of the arms are spaced apart from one another and supported by the strut, and the three electrodes form dual sensing vectors. | 09-11-2014 |
20140275915 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE INCLUDING A MOLDED PLANAR TRANSFORMER - The present disclosure provides methods and techniques associated with a planar transformer for an apparatus. The planar transformers include a substrate carrying electronic components and a continuous core that is formed by distributing the encapsulant material uniformly around the substrate unit to define a consistent cross-sectional area for the magnetic path. The electronic components include primary windings and secondary windings associated with the transformer. In some embodiments, the encapsulant material is molded to seals air gaps to the substrate unit. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275916 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO DETERMINE HR, RR AND CLASSIFY CARDIAC RHYTHMS BASED ON ATRIAL IEGM AND ATRIAL PRESSURE SIGNALS - Systems, devices and methods described herein can be used to monitor and treat cardiovascular disease, and more specifically, can be used to determine heart rate (HR), determine respiration rate (RR) and classify cardiac rhythms based on atrial intracardiac electrogram (IEGM) and atrial pressure (AP) signals. The atrial IEGM and AP signals are subject to spectrum transforms to obtain an atrial IEGM frequency spectrum and an AP frequency spectrum. Based on peaks in the atrial IEGM and AP frequency spectrums measures of HR and RR are determined, and arrhythmias are detected and/or arrhythmia discrimination is performed. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275917 | CARDIAC SIGNAL VECTOR SELECTION WITH MONOPHASIC AND BIPHASIC SHAPE CONSIDERATION - Systems, methods and non-transient software media for performing sensing vector selection in an implantable cardiac device by assessing biphasic or monophasic characteristics of the cardiac signal in vectors under analysis. A factor associated with the biphasic or monophasic nature of the cardiac signal, as seen from a given sensing vector, can be inserted into the assessment of which of several available sensing vectors is considered “best” for purposes of cardiac signal analysis. Additional factors may be considered beyond the biphasic or monophasic nature including the quantity of turning points or inflections and amplitude variability. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275918 | Closed Catheter Tip Including Electrically Conductive Pathway - A closed-ended catheter assembly that includes an electrically conductive pathway is disclosed. The conductive pathway enables electrical signals, such as ECG signals produced by a patient's heart, to pass through the closed-ended tip of the indwelling catheter while still preventing unintended fluid flow. In one embodiment, therefore, a catheter assembly is disclosed and comprises an elongate catheter tube including a closed distal end. The catheter tube defines at least one lumen and includes a valve defined in the catheter tube that is configured to selectively enable fluids to pass therethrough. The catheter tube includes a conductive element that provides an electrically conductive pathway between the at least one lumen and an exterior portion of the catheter. The conductive element includes a porous material extending between the at least one lumen and the exterior portion of the catheter, the porous material being transmissive to electrical signals and non-permeable to blood. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275919 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC MONITORING - In various examples, an apparatus includes an apparatus configured for implantation within a body of a patient. The apparatus, in some examples, includes a housing. At least one antenna extends from the housing, the antenna being flexible such that the antenna conforms to the body of the patient. In some examples, the apparatus includes at least three electrodes, wherein at least a first electrode is disposed on the antenna and at least a second electrode is disposed on the housing. The at least three electrodes are disposed in a non-linear configuration, allowing for differential processing of signals recorded by the at least three electrodes. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275920 | Devices and Methods for Catheter Localization - A medical device can be localized by providing at least three non-colinear localization elements (e.g., electrodes) thereon. Once placed in a non-ionizing localization field, three adjacent localization elements, at least one of which will typically be a spot electrode, may be selected, and the non-ionizing localization field may be used to measure their locations. A cylinder is defined to fit the measured locations of the selected localization elements. The cylinder is rotationally oriented using the measured location of a spot electrode. Location and rotational attitude information may be used to construct a three-dimensional representation of the medical device within the localization field. The electrodes may be provided on the medical device or on a sheath into which the medical device is inserted. The invention also provides systems and methods for identifying and calibrating deflection planes where the medical device and/or sheath are deflectable. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275921 | CARDIAC MAPPING CATHETER - A multi electrode catheter for non contact mapping of the heart having independent articulation and deployment features. | 09-18-2014 |
20140275922 | Sacrificial Catheter - A sacrificial catheter assembly and method of use for placing a functional catheter within the body of a patient, such as into the patient's vasculature, is disclosed. In one embodiment, the sacrificial catheter assembly comprises a sacrificial catheter including an elongate body that defines a longitudinally extending lumen. A stylet is removably received within the lumen of the sacrificial catheter such that the catheter and stylet can be advanced together to a target destination within the body of the patient. The sacrificial catheter is configured so as to then be proximally slid over the stylet to remove the sacrificial catheter from the body while the stylet remains in place at the target destination. A functional catheter can then be distally slid over the stylet to place the functional catheter at the target destination. The stylet can then be removed from the body of the patient. | 09-18-2014 |
20140296679 | Pacemaker Lead and Other Medical Implant Devices - An implantable medical device for electrical stimulation or sensing includes a body supporting at least one flexible elongate conductor element. The body includes an insulating structure that protects the flexible conductor element(s). The insulating structure is realized from multiple polymer layers wherein at least one of the polymer layers is formed from a polymer blend of a thermoplastic polyurethane material and an isobutylene block copolymer. In one particular embodiment, the insulating structure of the body includes at least a first polymer layer, a second polymer layer and a third polymer layer, where the second polymer layer covers and interfaces to the first polymer layer, and the third polymer layer covers and interfaces to the second polymer layer. The first polymer layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyurethane material. The third polymer layer is formed from an isobutylene block copolymer. The intermediate second polymer layer is compatible with the particular polymers of the first and third polymer layers and is formed from a polymer blend of a thermoplastic polyurethane material and an isobutylene block copolymer. | 10-02-2014 |
20140309512 | HIGH DENSITY ELECTRODE STRUCTURE - Electrode cabling, including a core and n wires coiled on the core in an arrangement topologically equivalent to an n-start thread configuration, wherein n is an integer greater than one. The cabling also includes a sheath covering the n wires and an electrode attached through the sheath to a given wire selected from the n wires. | 10-16-2014 |
20140309513 | Apparatus and Methods for Contactless Electrophysiology Studies - An electrophysiology catheter includes an elongate catheter body having an elastically-deformable distal region predisposed to assume a spiral shape and a first plurality of electrodes disposed thereon. Each of the first plurality of electrodes includes an electrically active region limited to the inner surface of the spiral shape for use in non-contact electrophysiology studies. A second plurality of electrodes may also be disposed on the distal region interspersed (e.g., alternating) with the first plurality of electrodes, with each of the second plurality of electrodes having an electrically active region extending into the outer surface of the spiral shape for use in contact electrophysiology studies. The distal region may be deformed into a straight configuration for insertion into and navigation through the patient's vasculature, for example via use of a tubular introducer. As the distal region deploys beyond the distal end of the introducer, it resumes the spiral shape. | 10-16-2014 |
20140343388 | Representation and identification of activity patterns during electro-physiology mapping using vector fields - A method and system for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of mapping electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, each of the plurality of mapping electrodes having an electrode location. A vector field map which represents a direction of propagation of the activation signals at each electrode location is generated to identify a signature pattern and a location in the vector field map according to at least one vector field template. A target location of the identified signature pattern is identified according to a corresponding electrode location. | 11-20-2014 |
20140350374 | CATHETER WITH MULTI-FUNCTIONAL CONTROL HANDLE HAVING LINEAR MECHANISM - A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal a mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a linear control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The linear control assembly has a linear control member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the linear control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly. | 11-27-2014 |
20140371563 | MULTIPLE BIPOLAR SAMPLING - Apparatus, which consists of a plurality of modules. Each of the modules has: an insulating frame, a pair of electrodes fixed to the frame at respective locations that are spaced apart, and circuitry configured to receive signals from the pair of electrodes and in response output a differential signal. The apparatus further consists of an insertion tube having distal and proximal ends and containing the plurality of modules in locations spaced longitudinally in proximity to the distal end. There is cabling running through the tube that is connected to convey differential signals from the modules to the proximal end. | 12-18-2014 |
20140378805 | ELECTROCARDIOGRAM NOISE REDUCTION - Methods and systems of catheterization include a flexible catheter adapted for insertion into a heart of a living subject. The catheter has a lumen for passing an electrically conductive fluid therethrough, which is propelled by a peristaltic pump. A fluid reservoir connected to the lumen supplies the fluid to the catheter. Electrocardiogram circuitry is connectable to the subject for monitoring electrical activity in the heart. An electrically conductive cable diverts induced charges in the fluid from the catheter electrodes, for example by shorting to a rotating element in the peristaltic pump. | 12-25-2014 |
20140378806 | MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING COMPATIBLE CATHETER - A method, consisting of passing a cylindrical carbon fiber through a press so as to produce a flat ribbon. The method further includes weaving multiple strands of the flat ribbon together to create a cylindrical braid. | 12-25-2014 |
20150018658 | MEANS AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF CARDIAC EVENTS - Disclosed is a system for the detection of cardiac events that includes an implanted device called a cardiosaver, a physician's programmer and an external alarm system. The system is designed to provide early detection of cardiac events such as acute myocardial infarction or exercise induced myocardial ischemia caused by an increased heart rate or exertion. The system can also alert the patient with a less urgent alarm if a heart arrhythmia is detected. Using different algorithms, the cardiosaver can detect a change in the patient's electrogram that is indicative of a cardiac event within five minutes after it occurs and then automatically warn the patient that the event is occurring. To provide this warning, the system includes an internal alarm sub-system (internal alarm means) within the cardiosaver and/or an external alarm system (external alarm means) which are activated after the ST segment of the electrogram exceeds a preset threshold. | 01-15-2015 |
20150025351 | CARDIAC ACTIVITY VISUALIZATION WITH FREQUENCY DISCRIMINATION - A method includes measuring electrical activity at multiple points on a surface of a heart of a patient. User input indicative of a spectral slice selected from a frequency band is received. Respective levels of the electrical activity within the selected spectral slice are calculated. The calculated levels are displayed on a map of the heart. | 01-22-2015 |
20150057521 | IMPLANTABLE DEVICE AND PRODUCTION METHOD FOR AN IMPLANTABLE DEVICE - Embodiments of the invention include a temporarily or permanently implantable medical device with an elongate electrical line, and a method of producing the implantable medical device. The elongate electrical line includes a first electrical component and a second component, wherein the first electrical component or part of the first electrical component includes a functional conductor. The second component includes at least one metal layer and at least one flexible plastic layer. The first electrical component is electrically connected in series to the at least one metal layer of the second component. | 02-26-2015 |
20150057522 | Methods, Systems, and Apparatus for Identification and Characterization of Rotors Associated With Atrial Fibrillation - In some embodiments, a system includes a near-field instrument to be placed inside a chamber of a heart, a far-field instrument to be placed in a stable position in relation to the heart (e.g., the coronary sinus), and a control unit. The control unit is configured to receive position coordinates of the near-field instrument and electrogram information from the far-field instrument. The control unit is configured to identify a unique pattern in the electrogram information from the far-field instrument. When the unique pattern is detected, the control unit is configured to receive electrogram information from the near-field instrument and store the associated near-field instrument position information with the unique pattern information and near-field instrument electrogram information. Upon moving the near-field instrument within the heart chamber, the control unit is configured to identify the unique pattern in the electrogram information from the far-field instrument again. Upon detecting the unique pattern, the control unit is configured to receive electrogram information from the near-field instrument at the new position and store the associated new near-field instrument position information with the unique pattern information and near-field instrument electrogram information. While recording electrogram information from the near-field instrument, the control unit is also configured to record voltage and complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) characteristics of the tissue inside a heart chamber. This information combined with rotor information can be used to identify substrate versus non-substrate rotor characteristics. | 02-26-2015 |
20150065836 | ESTIMATING THE PREVALENCE OF ACTIVATION PATTERNS IN DATA SEGMENTS DURING ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY MAPPING - A system and method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of physiological activity with a plurality of mapping electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure. Patterns among the sensed activation signals are identified based on a similarity measure generated between each unique pair of identified patterns which are classified into groups based on a correlation between the corresponding pairs of similarity measures. A characteristic representation is determined for each group of similarity measures and displayed as a summary plot of the characteristic representations. | 03-05-2015 |
20150073246 | METHOD FOR MAPPING VENTRICULAR/ATRIAL PREMATURE BEATS DURING SINUS RHYTHM - While detecting a cardiac arrhythmia, a mapping electrode of a probe is used to associate a local activation time with a first location in a region of interest in the heart. While detecting an absence of the cardiac arrhythmia, the local activation time is associated with a second location in the heart. Electrical data of the first location is assigned to the second location, and an electroanatomic map of the heart is generated that includes the second location in association with the assigned electrical data of the first location. | 03-12-2015 |
20150073247 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES WITH POWER SUPPLY NOISE ISOLATION - The present invention provides an implantable medical device having at least two electrodes coupled to the device housing. The electrodes may be configured for sensing physiological signals such as cardiac signals and alternatively for providing an electrical stimulation therapy such as a pacing or defibrillation therapy. In accordance with aspects of the disclosure, the device housing provides a hermetic enclosure that includes a battery case hermetically coupled to a circuit assembly case. At least one of the at least two electrodes is coupled to an exterior surface of the battery case. The battery case is electrically insulated from the cathode and anode of the battery. | 03-12-2015 |
20150073248 | IMPLANTABLE ACTIVE FIXATION LEAD WITH BIODEGRADABLE HELICAL TIP - Described is an implantable lead comprising a flexible body extending between a proximal end and a distal end and a distal assembly coupled to the distal end of the body. The distal assembly includes a housing having a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal end fixedly coupled to the distal end of the lead body, a coupler rotatably disposed within the housing, the coupler having a proximal end and a distal end, and a helical electrode fixedly secured to the distal end of the coupler. The helical electrode comprises a proximal axial length portion that comprises a non-degradable material, and a distal axial length portion that comprises a biodegradable material. The coupler and the helical electrode are configured to rotate and therefore translate relative to the housing. | 03-12-2015 |
20150080693 | BASKET CATHETER WITH DEFLECTABLE SPINE - A catheter adapted for mapping and/or ablation in the atria has a basket-shaped electrode array with two or more location sensors with a deflectable expander. The catheter has comprises a catheter body, a basket electrode assembly at a distal end of the catheter body, and a control handle at a proximal end of the catheter body. The basket electrode assembly has a plurality of electrode-carrying spines and an expander that is adapted for longitudinal movement relative to the catheter body for expanding and collapsing the assembly via a proximal end portion extending past the control handle that can be pushed or pulled by a user. The expander is also adapted for deflection in responsive to an actuator on the control handle that allows a user to control at least one puller wire extending through the catheter body and the expander. | 03-19-2015 |
20150105645 | HIGH RESOLUTION CARDIAC MAPPING ELECTRODE ARRAY CATHETER - Devices, systems, and methods for performing a mapping procedure on body tissue are disclosed. An example mapping device for mapping a tissue surface includes an elongate shaft and an electrode assembly. The electrode assembly includes a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on at least some of the splines. The electrode assembly is capable of moving between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. In the expanded configuration, the electrode assembly may have a generally planar structure. | 04-16-2015 |
20150112178 | ELECTROANATOMICAL MAPPING - This invention relates to the determination and/or representation of physiological information relating to a heart surface. | 04-23-2015 |
20150119670 | DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR TREATING CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS - Medical devices are described for performing mapping, ablating, pacing, and/or defibrillating procedures on one or more layers of the cardiac wall via an epicardial or extra-pericardial approach in a minimally invasive (e.g., orthoscopic) surgical procedure. One of the medical devices described includes a main support member and one or more secondary support members extending outwardly from the main support member having electrodes configured to receive electrical impulses. The secondary support member may include a support pad configured to be removably attached to a corresponding area of the epicardium for holding the medical device in place during a procedure, such as through application of vacuum pressure via a containment dome provided on each secondary support member. Further, an ablating electrode may be slidably disposed along the main support member for transmitting energy to a target site proximate the electrode. Other devices and associated methods are also described. | 04-30-2015 |
20150119671 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A MECHANISM OF ACTION OF AN ARRHYTHMIA - Systems and methods are provided that can identify a mechanism of action of an arrhythmia in a chamber of the heart. A plurality of electrograms recorded by a plurality of electrodes contacting a wall of a chamber of the heart at a corresponding plurality of different locations within the chamber in response to an electrical perturbation can be received. An activation map of the chamber can be determined based on the plurality of electrograms. Based on the activation map, a location and a shape of a mechanism of action of the arrhythmia can be determined. A treatment plan can be developed based on a location and a size of the mechanism of action within the chamber. For example, the treatment plan can include guiding an ablation of the mechanism of action. | 04-30-2015 |
20150119672 | MEDICAL DEVICE FOR HIGH RESOLUTION MAPPING USING LOCALIZED MATCHING - Medical devices and methods for using medical devices are disclosed. An example mapping medical device may include a catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes. The catheter shaft may be coupled to a processor. The processor may be capable of collecting a first set of signals from a first location, collecting a second set of signals from a second location, characterizing the first set of signals over a first time period, characterizing the second set of signals over a second time period, comparing the first set of signals to the second set of signals and matching a first signal from the first set of signals with a second signal from the second set of signals. | 04-30-2015 |
20150126840 | CARDIAC MAPPING USING LATENCY INTERPOLATION - Medical devices and methods for using medical devices are disclosed. An example mapping medical device may include a catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes. The plurality of electrodes may include a first pair of electrodes, a second pair of electrodes, a third pair of electrodes and a fourth pair of electrodes. The mapping medical device may further include a processor, wherein the processor may be configured to determine a first latency between the first pair of electrodes, determine a second latency between the second pair of electrodes, determine a third latency between the third pair of electrodes, determine a fourth latency between the fourth pair of electrodes, and determine a target signal by interpolating the first latency, the second latency, the third latency and the fourth latency. | 05-07-2015 |
20150126841 | METHOD AND DETERMINATION OF CARDIAC ACTIVATION FROM ELECTROGRAMS WITH MULTIPLE DEFLECTIONS - A method and system for determining activation times for electric potentials from complex electrograms to identify the location of arrhythmic sources or drivers. The method includes counting a number deflections in a recorded cardiac electrogram signal from at least one electrode for a predetermined amount of time. A deflection time is identified for each of the counted number of deflections. A most negative slope is identified between each of the identified deflections times. Each of the identified most negative slopes is correlated to a possible activation time. Each possible activation time is associated with a corresponding electrode from the at least one electrode. A spatial voltage gradient at each corresponding electrode is calculated for each possible activation time. The greatest spatial voltage gradient is identified. The greatest spatial voltage gradient is correlated to an activation time. | 05-07-2015 |
20150133759 | Reverse ECG Mapping - Methods and systems for preparing electroanatomic maps of the heart operate using a probe that has been inserted into a heart chamber by emitting electrical calibration signals from external locations that are outside the subjects body, receiving the calibration signals in a plurality of intracardiac electrodes on the probe, and determining functional relationships between the emitted calibration signals and the received calibration signals. Thereafter, electrophysiological signals from respective origins in the heart are detected in the external locations, and the functional relationships are applied to the detected electrophysiological signals to calculate intracardiac potentials at the respective origins. | 05-14-2015 |
20150133760 | BASKET STYLE CARDIAC MAPPING CATHETER HAVING SPLINE BENDS FOR DETECTION OF CARDIAC RHYTHM DISORDERS - A system for sensing multiple local electric voltages from endocardial surface of a heart, includes: an elongate tubular member having a lumen, a proximal end and a distal end; and a basket assembly including a plurality of flexible splines; an anchor for securably affixing proximal portions of the splines, where the anchor is securably affixed within the lumen of the elongate tubular member at the distal end of the elongate tubular member; and a tip for securably affixing the distal portions of the splines; where the tip is recessed within the basket assembly upon radial expansion of the basket assembly. | 05-14-2015 |
20150141785 | FLEXIBLE MULTIPLE-ARM DIAGNOSTIC CATHETER - A medical probe includes a distal end and an elongate body for insertion into an organ of a patient. The distal end is connected to the elongate body and includes multiple arms that, when inserted into the organ, extend to form multiple respective spirals each having electrodes disposed thereon. | 05-21-2015 |
20150148642 | CATHETER SYSTEMS FOR MEASURING ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF TISSUE AND METHODS OF USE - Catheter systems for measuring at least one electrical property, e.g., impedance, of cardiac tissue of a living being are disclosed. The system includes a catheter having a tip with a sensing electrode, a guard electrode and an electrical shield. The sensing electrode is arranged to engage the cardiac tissue and is coupled to circuitry for measuring the at least one electrical property of the cardiac tissue, shielding the sensing electrode from bulk blood adjacent the cardiac tissue. The measurement can gated to the cardiac cycle. Additional embodiments include multi-electrode sensor catheter tips for high density mapping. Moreover, such tips may be dynamically configurable, i.e., their electrodes can be variably assigned as sensor electrodes or guard electrodes by associated circuitry. Such multi-electrode configuration and reconfiguration can be gated to the cardiac cycle. | 05-28-2015 |
20150297114 | Apparatus for Use with Needle Insertion Guidance System - An integrated catheter placement system and method for placing a catheter in a patient body. The system may include a system console having a display, a tip location sensor operably connected to the system console and placed onto a body of a patient. The tip location sensor may be designed to sense a magnetic field of a first medical device. The system may also include an ECG tip confirmation component operably connected to the system console via the tip location sensor, and an ultrasound probe operably connected to the system console, the ultrasound probe including one or more magnetic sensors designed to sense a magnetic field of a second medical device different from the first medical device. The system may further include a processor associated with the console designed to utilize data relating to the magnetic field of the second medical device to determine a position and/or orientation thereof. | 10-22-2015 |
20150305680 | System and method for detecting sheathing and unsheathing of localization elements - A method of detecting whether a localization element is within or outside of an introducer sheath generally includes obtaining a localization signal from the localization element and detecting the state of the localization element relative to the sheath based upon the quadrature component of the localization signal. A baseline quadrature component is typically established with the localization element outside of the sheath. When the quadrature component deviates from this baseline value, it is indicative of the localization element being within the sheath. Conversely, when the quadrature component remains relatively close to the baseline value, it is indicative of the localization element being outside of the sheath. In an electrophysiology study, the state information can be used to take corrective action with respect to the data being collected. | 10-29-2015 |
20150313491 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFICATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND TREATMENT OF ROTORS ASSOCIATED WITH FIBRILLATION - Some embodiments described herein relate to a method that includes defining an electro-anatomical model of a heart. The electro-anatomical model can include conduction patterns for multiple patterns or phases identified by a measurement instrument. The electro-anatomical model can also include a voltage map of the heart. A portion of the heart containing a rotor can be identified based on circulation in one phase of the model. The rotor can be determined to be stable based on that portion of the heart having circulation in another phase of the model. The rotor can be characterized as a substrate rotor based on the rotor being stable and based on the voltage or a change in voltage at the portion of the heart containing the rotor. The rotor can be treated or ablated when the rotor is determined to be a substrate rotor. | 11-05-2015 |
20150313501 | HIGH RESOLUTION ELECTRO-ANATOMIC MAPPING USING MULTIPLE BIOPOTENTIAL SENSORS AND ASSOCIATED SIGNAL PROCESSING AND DIGITIZATION IN THE CATHETER TIP - An apparatus for sensing an electrophysiological biopotential signal in combination with an external control circuit includes a catheter having a tip portion, an analog front-end sensor array in the tip portion of the catheter communicated with at least a first electrode in the tip portion of the catheter, and an analog signal processing integrated circuit in the tip portion of the catheter communicated with analog front-end sensor array. | 11-05-2015 |
20150313555 | Method and System to Subdivide a Mapping Area for Mechanical Activation Analysis - A method and system are provided for subdividing a region of interest. The method and system utilize an intravascular mapping tool configured to be inserted into at least one of the endocardial or epicardial space. The mapping tool is maneuvered to select locations proximate to surfaces of the heart, while collecting map points at the select locations to form a point cloud data set during at least one cardiac cycle. The method and system further include selecting a region of interest from the point cloud data set, and forming a triangulation area that include a set of map points from the point cloud data set corresponding to the region of interest. Further, the method and system use a triangulation technique algorithm to generate at least one triangle within the triangulation area formed from at least a portion of the set of map points. | 11-05-2015 |
20150342491 | ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY HAVING AN ATRAUMATIC DISTAL TIP - A catheter including expandable electrode assembly having a distal cap that mechanically engages a locking feature provided on the distal ends of each of two or more flexible splines forming a portion of the expandable electrode assembly is described. The distal cap defines an atraumatic distal tip of the catheter. The catheter may be used in a cardiac mapping and/or ablation procedure. | 12-03-2015 |
20150342531 | CATHETER WITH DISTAL SECTION HAVING SIDE-BY-SIDE LOOPS - The catheter allows mapping and/or ablation of the area around two or more PV ostia at the same time, with a single placement of a distal section of the catheter having a 2D configuration resembling an infinity or lazy 8 symbol. The catheter has an elongated catheter body, a distal section having at least a flexible elongated member with shape memory, the member being configured to assume a 2D configuration resembling an infinity symbol, and at least one electrode mounted on the member. The 2D configuration resembles a first loop and a second loop, wherein the first and second loops are side-by-side, generally extending in a common plane. | 12-03-2015 |
20150342532 | HIGH ELECTRODE DENSITY BASKET CATHETER - This disclosure is directed to a catheter having a basket-shaped electrode assembly with a high electrode density. The basket-shaped electrode assembly may have a plurality of spines, such as up to twelve, each with a plurality of electrodes, such as up to sixteen. Each spine may have cabling with embedded coiled wires such that each electrode is attached through the sheath to one of the wires. | 12-03-2015 |
20150342536 | MEDICAL DEVICES FOR MAPPING CARDIAC TISSUE - Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. A method for removing an artifact of a biological reference signal present in a biological source signal may comprise sensing a biological reference signal with one or more electrodes and sensing a biological source signal, wherein the biological source signal comprises an artifact of the biological reference signal. The method may further comprise determining, based on the biological reference signal, the artifact of the biological reference signal and subtracting the artifact of the biological reference signal from the sensed biological source signal. | 12-03-2015 |
20150342672 | DOUBLE MICRO-ELECTRODE CATHETER - Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter for use in cardiac mapping and/or ablation. The catheter may include an elongate catheter shaft having a distal ablation electrode region capable of ablating tissue. A plurality of micro-electrode assemblies may be coupled to the distal ablation electrode region. At least one of the micro-electrode assemblies may include an inner electrode and an outer electrode disposed at least partially around the inner electrode. At least one of the inner electrode and the outer electrode may comprise a sensor. | 12-03-2015 |
20150351611 | DIRECT VIEW OPTICAL CARDIAC CATHETER - A device, a system, and a method for diagnosis and treatment of e.g., mitral valve regurgitation. The system includes a catheter that is configured to deflect and/or steer a distal tip of the catheter inside a patient's body, a guide wire that is configured to guide the catheter in an enclosed in vivo space within the patient's body, a proximal device handle that is configured to allow the non-parallel spiral cable to switch back and forth between flexibility modes, and a treatment device that is independent of, yet still within, an instrument channel of the catheter, wherein the distal tip of the catheter further includes an inflatable balloon which may be an asymmetrical intussuscepted shape, and may be attached within a section of the distal tip of the catheter, wherein the distal tip further includes a visualization device for directly viewing an in vivo space within the patient. | 12-10-2015 |
20150351650 | Systems and Methods for Cardiomyocyte Conduction Speed Mapping - Systems and methods are provided to display discrete conduction timing values of layers of the ventricles. Electrical impulses are detected using two or more electrodes placed proximate to a beating heart and are converted to an ECG waveform for each heartbeat of the beating heart. One or more subwaveforms within Q, R, S, and T waveforms of the ECG waveform for each heartbeat or in an interval between the Q, R, S, and T waveforms are detected that represent the depolarization or repolarization of anatomically distinct layers of the ventricles of the beating heart. A conduction timing value is calculated for each of the one or more subwaveforms for each electrode of the two or more electrodes for each heartbeat of the beating heart. At least one conduction timing value is displayed for at least one subwaveform for each electrode for at least one heartbeat of the beating heart. | 12-10-2015 |
20150351651 | Linear Multi-Domain Electrocardiogram - Systems and methods are provided to detect a multi-domain ECG waveform. Electrical impulses are detected between at least one pair of electrodes of two or more electrodes placed proximate to a beating heart and are converted to an ECG waveform for each heartbeat of the beating heart. The ECG waveform for at least one heartbeat is received from the detector, the ECG waveform is converted to a frequency domain waveform, the frequency domain waveform is separated into two or more different frequency domain waveforms using two or more different bandpass filters, and the two or more different frequency domain waveforms are converted into two or more different time domain waveforms. The two or more different time domain waveforms are displayed in the same time domain plot as a multi-domain ECG waveform for the at least one heartbeat. | 12-10-2015 |
20150351652 | ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY - An expandable electrode assembly for use in a cardiac mapping procedure includes multiple bipolar electrode pairs including a first electrode located on an outer surface and a second electrode located on an inner surface of the individual splines forming the expandable electrode assembly. Such an electrode arrangement may produce improved electrical activation signals which may be used to produce a more accurate map of the electrical activity of a patient's heart. | 12-10-2015 |
20150366476 | MEDICAL DEVICES FOR MAPPING CARDIAC TISSUE - Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a system for mapping the electrical activity of the heart. The system may include a catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes. The system may also include a processor. The processor may be capable of collecting a set of signals from at least one of the plurality of electrodes. The set of signals may be collected over a time period. The processor may also be capable of calculating at least one propagation vector from the set of signals, generating a data set from the at least one propagation vector, generating a statistical distribution of the data set and generating a visual representation of the statistical distribution. | 12-24-2015 |
20150366508 | EXPANDABLE CATHETER ASSEMBLY WITH FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) ELECTRICAL PATHWAYS - Provided is a flex-PCB catheter device that is configured to be inserted into a body lumen. The flex-PCB catheter comprises an elongate shaft, an expandable assembly, a flexible printed circuit board (flex-PCB) substrate, a plurality of electronic components and a plurality of communication paths. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The expandable assembly is configured to transition from a radially compact state to a radially expanded state. The plurality of electronic elements are coupled to the flex-PCB substrate and are configured to receive and/or transmit an electric signal. The plurality of communication paths are positioned on and/or within the flex-PCB substrate. The communication paths selectively couple the plurality of electronic elements to a plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically connect to an electronic module configured to process the electrical signal. The flex-PCB substrate can have multiple layers, including one or more metallic layers. Acoustic matching elements and conductive traces can be includes in the flex-PCB substrate. | 12-24-2015 |
20150374252 | Flexible high-density mapping catheter tips and flexible ablation catheter tips with onboard high-density mapping electrodes - Flexible high-density mapping catheter tips ( | 12-31-2015 |
20150374433 | Medical Device Having Laminate-Coated Braid Assembly - A catheter includes a braid assembly having a dual-laminate coating. The braid assembly includes a plurality of braid members interwoven to provide for interstices between the braid members, each braid member having an electrically conductive element, a flexible non-electrically-conductive polymer coating that insulates the electrically conductive element and a thermoplastic bonding adhesive coating. The braid assembly is formed between an inner polymer layer and an outer polymer layer. One or more of the braid members may be coupled to an energy delivery element. | 12-31-2015 |
20160007852 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO TRANSLATE TWO DIMENSIONAL MAPPING INTO A THREE DIMENSIONAL DERIVED MODEL | 01-14-2016 |
20160007869 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING AND PRESENTING SURFACE CHARGE AND DIPOLE DENSITIES ON CARDIAC WALLS | 01-14-2016 |
20160007874 | TRANSPARENT AND FLEXIBLE NEURAL ELECTRODE ARRAYS | 01-14-2016 |
20160008614 | IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE SENSING AND SELECTING WIRELESS ECG AND INTRACARDIAC ELECTROGRAM | 01-14-2016 |
20160015294 | ENHANCED SIGNAL NAVIGATION AND CAPTURE SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Navigation and tissue capture systems and methods for navigation to and/or capture of selected tissue using the innate electrical activity of the selected tissue and/or other tissue are described. In the context of left atrial appendage closure, the systems and methods can be used to navigate to the left atrial appendage and capture/control the appendage while a closure instrument (suture, clip, ring) is placed over the appendage and tightened down or a closure method (ablation, cryogenic procedures, stapling, etc.) is performed to close the left atrial appendage. The use of innate electrical activity for navigating devices may be used in connection with other tissues and/or areas of the body. | 01-21-2016 |
20160045711 | MEDICAL DEVICE CONTROL HANDLE WITH MULTIPLE PULLER WIRES - A medical device control handle or catheter includes deflection assembly and at least one of the following: a disk actuator, a lever actuator and a ring actuator for actuating additional puller wires in manipulation of multiple features of the medical device or catheter independently of each other. The disk actuator has a common rotational axis with but is rotationally independent of the deflection assembly. The lever actuator has a separate rotational axis. The ring is mounted outside of the control handle and rotatable relative to the control handle to actuate another puller wire for manipulating another feature of the catheter. | 02-18-2016 |
20160051160 | ELECTROANATOMICAL MAPPING - This invention relates to the determination and/or representation of physiological information relating to a heart surface. | 02-25-2016 |
20160051204 | IMPEDANCE BASED ANATOMY GENERATION - Methods and systems for the determination and representation of anatomy anatomical information are disclosed herein. | 02-25-2016 |
20160073913 | IMAGE DISPLAY INTERFACES - Apparatus for monitoring activation in a heart comprises a probe ( | 03-17-2016 |
20160073960 | Multi-Electrode Mapping Catheter - A multi-electrode mapping catheter for endocardial contact mapping of a heart chamber includes an expandable basket movable between a contracted configuration and a pre-shaped deployed configuration, the expandable basket including a plurality of flexible splines. Each spline includes a flex circuit and an electrode for mapping. A catheter shaft extending from the basket includes a lumen formed therethrough for receiving an ablation catheter for placement within the expandable basket. Each flex circuit includes a conductor that directly connects the proximal end of the catheter shaft to an electrode as a single continuous piece. In another embodiment, a shaft flex circuit extends along the length of the shaft and is electrically connected to a basket flex circuit. The expandable basket maintains the electrodes in direct contact with the wall of the heart while accommodating wall motion of the beating heart during mapping and can continually map while ablating. | 03-17-2016 |
20160081746 | BASKET CATHETER WITH DEFLECTABLE SPINE - A catheter adapted for mapping and/or ablation in the atria has a basket-shaped electrode array with two or more location sensors with a deflectable expander. The catheter has comprises a catheter body, a basket electrode assembly at a distal end of the catheter body, and a control handle at a proximal end of the catheter body. The basket electrode assembly has a plurality of electrode-carrying spines and an expander that is adapted for longitudinal movement relative to the catheter body for expanding and collapsing the assembly via a proximal end portion extending past the control handle that can be pushed or pulled by a user. The expander is also adapted for deflection in responsive to an actuator on the control handle that allows a user to control at least one puller wire extending through the catheter body and the expander. | 03-24-2016 |
20160082227 | FIXED DIMENSIONAL AND BI-DIRECTIONAL STEERABLE CATHETER CONTROL HANDLE - An apparatus for imparting a tensile force to deflect a distal portion of a catheter while maintaining its exterior dimensions may include a handle grip including a cross-section of generally predetermined exterior dimensions, and a longitudinal axis. A flexible elongate member may include proximal and distal end portions, with the proximal end portion being coupled to the handle grip. An adjustment knob may include a cross-section of generally predetermined exterior dimensions, and is rotatably coupled to the handle grip around the longitudinal axis. An elongate deflection member may be operably coupled to the adjustment knob and to the distal end portion of the elongate member. Rotation of the adjustment knob may impart a tensile force to the deflection member thereby causing the distal end portion of the elongate member to deflect from a prior configuration while maintaining the generally predetermined exterior dimensions of the handle grip and the adjustment knob. | 03-24-2016 |
20160089037 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ESTIMATING A MYOCARDIAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETER - An implantable medical device applies an electric signal to at least a portion of a heart in a subject. A resulting electric signal is collected from the heart and is used together with the applied signal for determining a cardiogenic impedance signal. The impedance signal is processed in order to estimate an isovolumetric contraction time, an isovolumetric relaxation time and an ejection time for a heart cycle. These three time parameters are employed for calculating a Tei-index of the heart. The Tei-index can be used as myocardial performance parameter in heart diagnosis and/or cardiac therapy adjustment. | 03-31-2016 |
20160100884 | TISSUE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT USING MINI-ELECTRODES - Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example electrophysiology medical device may include a catheter shaft including a distal end portion and a sensing assembly having three or more terminals. The sensing assembly includes one or more current-carrying electrodes and one or more sensing electrodes. The one or more current-carrying electrodes, the one or more sensing electrodes, or both includes a mini-electrode. The mini-electrode is disposed on one of the other electrodes. The medical device may also include a controller coupled to the sensing assembly. | 04-14-2016 |
20160106336 | Methods and Systems for Generating Integrated Substrate Maps for Cardiac Arrhythmias - An electrophysiology map, for example a map of arrhythmic substrate, can be generated by acquiring both geometry information and electrophysiology information pertaining to an anatomical region, and associating the acquired geometry and electrophysiology information as a plurality of electrophysiology data points. A user can select two (or more) electrophysiological characteristics for display, and can further elect to apply various filters to the selected electrophysiological characteristics. The user can also define various relationships (e.g., Boolean ANDs, ORs, and the like) between the selected and/or filtered characteristics. The user-selected filtering criteria can be applied to the electrophysiology data points to output various subsets thereof. These subsets can then be graphically rendered using various combinations of colorscale, monochrome scale, and iconography, for example as a three-dimensional cardiac electrophysiology model. | 04-21-2016 |
20160113582 | BASKET CATHETER WITH MICROELECTRODE ARRAY DISTAL TIP - A catheter adapted for greater mapping resolution and location precision has a basket-shaped, high density electrode assembly for large-area mapping, and an integrated distal tip providing an array of ultra-high density microelectrodes for acute focal mapping. The basket-shaped electrode assembly | 04-28-2016 |
20160128785 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DECREMENT EVOKED POTENTIAL (DEEP) MAPPING TO IDENTIFY COMPONENTS OF THE ARRYTHMOGENIC CIRCUIT IN CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS - Various embodiments are described herein for a system and a method for identifying the arrhythmogenic circuit of a patient or subject. In one embodiment, the method comprises obtaining data for electrograms recorded at various locations of the heart while programmed ventricular pacing with extra stimuli was performed, obtaining decrement values for at least two different locations of the heart using the recorded electrograms, generating at least a portion of a decrement map using the decrement values, and identifying the arrhythmogenic circuit based on electrograms having significant decremental properties. | 05-12-2016 |
20160136440 | LEADLESS INTRA-CARDIAC MEDICAL DEVICE WITH BUILT-IN TELEMETRY SYSTEM - A leadless intra-cardiac medical device is configured to be implanted entirely within a heart of a patient. The device includes an intra-cardiac extension and a housing. The intra-cardiac extension includes a loop body having at least one loop segment retaining at least one coil group that is configured to one or both of receive and transmit radio frequency (RF) energy, wherein the loop body is configured to extend into a first chamber of the heart. The housing is in electrical communication within the loop body, and includes a transceiver, control logic and an energy source. The housing is configured to be securely attached to an interior wall portion of a second chamber of the heart, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with an external device through the RF energy. | 05-19-2016 |
20160143588 | CATHETER WITH HIGH DENSITY ELECTRODE SPINE ARRAY - A catheter adapted or high density mapping and/or ablation of tissue surface has a distal electrode matrix having a plurality of spines arranged in parallel configuration on which a multitude of electrodes are carried in a grid formation for providing uniformity and predictability in electrode placement on the tissue surface. The matrix can be dragged against the tissue surface upon deflection (and/or release of the deflection) of the catheter. The spines generally maintain their parallel configuration and the multitude of electrodes generally maintain their predetermined relative spacing in the grid formation as the matrix is dragged across the tissue surface in providing very high density mapping signals. The spines may have free distal ends, or distal ends that are joined to form loops for maintaining the spines in parallel configuration. | 05-26-2016 |
20160151625 | ELECTRODE EXTENSION INTEGRATED IN AN ACTIVE IMPLANT | 06-02-2016 |
20160166168 | SYSTEMS FOR ASSESSING RISK OF SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH, AND RELATED METHODS OF USE | 06-16-2016 |
20160174864 | Far Field-Insensitive Intracardiac Catheter Electrodes | 06-23-2016 |
20160174865 | REAL-TIME MORPHOLOGY ANALYSIS FOR LESION ASSESSMENT | 06-23-2016 |
20160183793 | Wireless Catheter System for Cardiac Electrophysiology Study - A Wireless Catheter Module (WCM) is adapted for attachment to a diagnostic catheter to enable the bio-electrical signals, analog signals picked up by the probing electrodes imbedded in the attached catheter, to be captured and digitized by A-to-D converter electronics in the WCM whereupon packets of the digitized signals can then be transmitted wirelessly from the WCM to a remote Wireless Base Station (WBS) forming a receiver component of the present system. The WBS is adapted for operative connected to an EP recording and cardiac stimulation system. In cases where multiple catheters are to be used in a study, each catheter may be fitted with an appropriately configured WCM and the catheter modules can communicate simultaneously with the WBS. | 06-30-2016 |
20160183830 | MEDICAL DEVICES FOR MAPPING CARDIAC TISSUE - Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example system for mapping the electrical activity of the heart includes a processor. The processor is capable of sensing a plurality of signals with a plurality of electrodes positioned within the heart and collecting a plurality of signals corresponding to the plurality of electrodes. Collecting the plurality of signals occurs over a time period. The processor is also capable of generating a plurality of time-frequency distributions corresponding the plurality of signals, generating a composite time-frequency distribution corresponding to the plurality of signals, generating a filter from the composite time-frequency distribution and applying the filter to the plurality of signals or to the plurality of time-frequency distributions | 06-30-2016 |
20160183877 | BASKET CATHETER WITH IMPROVED SPINE FLEXIBILITY - A catheter with basket-shaped electrode assembly with spines configured for hyper-flexing in a predetermined, predictable manner when a compressive force acts on the assembly from either its distal end or its proximal end. At least one spine has at least one region of greater (or hyper) flexibility that allows the electrode assembly to deform, for example, compress, for absorbing and dampening excessive force that may otherwise cause damage or injury to tissue wall in contact with the assembly, without compromising the structure and stiffness of the remaining regions of the spine, including its distal and proximal regions. The one or more regions of greater flexibility in the spine allow the spine to flex into a generally V-shape configuration or a generally U-shape configuration. | 06-30-2016 |
20160374582 | CATHETER WITH STACKED SPINE ELECTRODE ASSEMBLY - A catheter comprising an elongated catheter body, an electrode array distal of the catheter body, the array having a mounting member and at least first and second spine supports. Each spine support includes a base having a planar configuration, and a plurality of spines extending from the base, wherein the first base extends in a first plane and the second base extends in a second plane different from the first plane in the mounting member. | 12-29-2016 |
20170232234 | DEFLECTABLE CATHETER WITH HINGE | 08-17-2017 |
20190142293 | BASKET CATHETER WITH DEFLECTABLE SPINE | 05-16-2019 |