Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080281391 | Mapping and Ablation Method for the Treatment of Ventricular Tachycardia - An apparatus for mapping and/or ablating tissue includes a braided conductive member that 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 a protrusion allows the ring-shaped surface to contact a tissue wall such as a cardiac wall. In an alternative configuration, the braided conductive member may be configured with the distal portion forming a proboscis that can be used to stably position the braided conductive member relative to a blood vessel, such as a ventricular outflow tract. The braided conductive member has a plurality of electronically active sites that may be accessed individually for stable mapping over a broad area for stable mapping or ablation to form broad and deep lesions. | 11-13-2008 |
20090306549 | Methods and Apparatus for Configuring an Ablation Source of a Catheter - Embodiments of the invention relate to a catheter having an ultrasound energy emitting region that is both rotatable about and slidable along the shaft of the catheter. One embodiment is directed to a catheter comprising an ultrasound transducer coupled to the shaft, and at least one actuator coupled to the handle and the ultrasound transducer that is adapted to move the ultra-sound transducer both longitudinally along the shaft and circumferentially about the shaft. Another embodiment of the invention is directed to a catheter comprising an ultrasound transducer coupled to the shaft, and at least one actuator that is adapted to move the sheath both longitudinally along the shaft and circumferentially about the shaft to orient a window of the sheath in a desired position. | 12-10-2009 |
20100292688 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING CARDIAC LESIONS AND ASSESSING LESION QUALITY - Method and apparatus for treating conductive irregularities in the heart, particularly atrial fibrillation and accessory path arrythmias. An ablative catheter is positioned relative to an inter-atrial electrical pathway, or a vicinity of accessory paths such as the coronary sinus or fossa ovalis, and actuated to form a lesion that partially or completely blocks electrical conduction in at least one direction along the pathway. Method and apparatus for assessing lesion quality are also described. | 11-18-2010 |
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 |
20130165922 | ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY LOOP CATHETER - A catheter including control, localization, and/or fluid delivery features, and methods of using the same. One embodiment is directed to an electrophysiology catheter including a superelastic wire and a cable, and a method of controlling the catheter using the cable. Another embodiment is directed to an electrophysiology catheter including an adhesive to bias the orientation of the catheter. A further embodiment is directed to an electrophysiology catheter including adhesive and one or more cables, and a method of controlling the catheter using the one or more cables. Another embodiment is directed to a method including acts of injecting a fluid into the heart of a patient and adjusting the diameter of an arcuate curve of the catheter. Further embodiments are directed to a catheter having multiple position sensors on an arcuate curve of the catheter, or a position sensor associated with a movable electrode of the catheter. | 06-27-2013 |
20140107644 | 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. | 04-17-2014 |
20140163360 | IRRIGATED CATHETER - A catheter includes a fluid network for cooling the ablation electrode, surrounding blood and tissue. The fluid network comprises a circumferential channel having an annular shape and fluidly coupled to at least one proximal longitudinal channel configured to conduct fluid along a proximal length of the catheter. The circumferential channel is configured to conduct fluid about at least a circumferential portion of the catheter. The fluid network further comprises a plurality of distal longitudinal channels fluidly coupled to the circumferential channel, with the plurality of distal longitudinal channels being configured to conduct fluid a long a distal length of the catheter. The fluid network occupies a region of the catheter peripheral to a central longitudinal axis of the catheter such that other components of the irrigated catheter, including at least one imaging sensor, is disposed within the central region of the ablation electrode. | 06-12-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090069704 | RAPID 3D MAPPING USING MULTIELECTRODE POSITION DATA - An electrophysiology (EP) system includes an interface for operator-interaction with the results of code executing therein. A template model can have channels positioned or repositioned thereupon by the user to define a set-up useful in rapid catheter positioning. Mapping operations can be performed without the requirement for precise catheter location determinations. A map module coordinates EP data associated with each selected channel and its associated position on the template model to provide this result, and can update the resulting map in the event that the channel or location is changed. Messaging and other dynamic features enable synchronized presentation of a myriad of EP data. Additional systems and methods are disclosed herein. | 03-12-2009 |
20090124915 | SYSTEM FOR RELOCATING CATHETER-SUPPORTED ELECTRODES ON SEGMENTED MODEL - Guidance to an operator to more accurately position electrodes upon a segmented heart model (SGM). The SGM is included in a map panel on a display screen. A catheter advanced into a beating heart supports one or more electrodes. During a single beat of the heart, an image is obtained with darkened portions corresponding to locations of the electrodes. The image is presented in the same map panel as the SGM. The current location of the electrodes is confirmed relative to the SGM, either manually or through automated software algorithms. EP data is captured that represents electrophysiological signals of the beating heart at the current location for each of the electrodes. A signal processing algorithm is applied to the captured EP data in view of the confirmed current location of the electrodes to result in a calculation that is mapped at the confirmed location of the electrodes. | 05-14-2009 |
20090204113 | High Density Atrial Fibrillatrion Cycle Length (AFCL) Detection and Mapping System - Systems and methods to assist in locating the focus of an atrial fibrillation include the association of atrial fibrillation cycle length values and statistics relating thereto with temporal locations on an electrogram of a given electrode, and/or the coordination of electrode locations with respective the spectral analyses of electrogram signals and further parameters and statistics relating thereto. Ablation therapy can proceed under guidance of such information. | 08-13-2009 |
20120035488 | RAPID 3D MAPPING USING MULTIELECTRODE POSITION DATA - An electrophysiology (EP) system includes an interface for operator-interaction with the results of code executing therein. A template model can have channels positioned or repositioned thereupon by the user to define a set-up useful in rapid catheter positioning. Mapping operations can be performed without the requirement for precise catheter location determinations. A map module coordinates EP data associated with each selected channel and its associated position on the template model to provide this result, and can update the resulting map in the event that the channel or location is changed. Messaging and other dynamic features enable synchronized presentation of a myriad of EP data. Additional systems and methods are disclosed herein. | 02-09-2012 |
20120078078 | MEANS FOR SECURING A CATHETER INTO A VESSEL - An electrophysiology catheter, e.g., a coronary sinus catheter, for insertion into a cardiac vessel, such as the coronary sinus, includes a handle and a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle. The catheter shaft has a distal end and an anchor is associated with the catheter shaft and is movable between a deployed position and a collapsed position. In the deployed position, the anchor extends radially outward from an outer surface of the catheter shaft for contacting a wall and temporarily anchoring the catheter shaft within the coronary sinus. The catheter also includes an actuator for causing deployment and collapsing of the anchor upon manipulation of the actuator. | 03-29-2012 |
20130303879 | HIGH DENSITY ATRIAL FIBRILLATION CYCLE LENGTH (AFCL) DETECTION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - Systems and methods to assist in locating the focus of an atrial fibrillation include the association of atrial fibrillation cycle length values and statistics relating thereto with temporal locations on an electrogram of a given electrode, and/or the coordination of electrode locations with respective the spectral analyses of electrogram signals and further parameters and statistics relating thereto. Ablation therapy can proceed under guidance of such information. | 11-14-2013 |
20140180053 | MEANS FOR SECURING A CATHETER INTO A VESSEL - An electrophysiology catheter, e.g., a coronary sinus catheter, for insertion into a cardiac vessel, such as the coronary sinus, includes a handle and a catheter shaft coupled at one end to the handle. The catheter shaft has a distal end and an anchor is associated with the catheter shaft and is movable between a deployed position and a collapsed position. In the deployed position, the anchor extends radially outward from an outer surface of the catheter shaft for contacting a wall and temporarily anchoring the catheter shaft within the coronary sinus. The catheter also includes an actuator for causing deployment and collapsing of the anchor upon manipulation of the actuator. | 06-26-2014 |
20150088019 | HIGH DENSITY ATRIAL FIBRILLATION CYCLE LENGTH (AFCL) DETECTION AND MAPPING SYSTEM - Systems and methods to assist in locating the focus of an atrial fibrillation include the association of atrial fibrillation cycle length values and statistics relating thereto with temporal locations on an electrogram of a given electrode, and/or the coordination of electrode locations with respective the spectral analyses of electrogram signals and further parameters and statistics relating thereto. Ablation therapy can proceed under guidance of such information. | 03-26-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100146970 | Method and system for enhancing power output of renewable thermal cycle power plants - A steam reheat process is provided to enhance a thermal power cycle, and particularly a renewable steam thermal cycle. An oxyfuel combustion gas generator is provided which combusts a hydrogen and/or carbon containing fuel with an oxidizer of primarily oxygen to generate products of combustion including steam and/or carbon dioxide. Water from the thermal cycle is directed to the reheater for mixing with the products of combustion within the reheater to generate a working fluid containing steam. This steam is routed through a turbine or other expander and power is outputted from the system. The water is optionally thereafter condensed and at least partially routed back to the thermal cycle. Any carbon dioxide within the working fluid can be separated in a condenser downstream of the expander for capture of the carbon dioxide, such that increased power output for the thermal power cycle is achieved without atmospheric emissions. | 06-17-2010 |
20100205965 | Arrangement With a Steam Turbine and a Condenser - An arrangement including at least one steam turbine and one condenser is provided. Further, a method to operate such an arrangement is provided. A regenerative deheater is arranged in the steam flow between the steam turbine and the condenser, by which the steam, superheated exhaust steam, exiting the steam turbine is cooled down before entering the condenser and by which a feed-water stream is heated up. | 08-19-2010 |
20110126549 | Ultra low emissions fast starting power plant - The power plant combusts a hydrocarbon fuel with oxygen to produce high temperature high pressure products of combustion. These products of combustion are routed through an expander to generate power. The products of combustion are substantially free of oxides of nitrogen because the oxidizer is oxygen rather than air. To achieve fast starting, oxygen, fuel and water diluent are preferably stored in quantities sufficient to allow the power plant to operate from these stored consumables. The fuel can be a gaseous or liquid fuel. The oxygen is preferably stored as liquid and routed through a vaporizer before combustion in a gas generator along with the hydrocarbon fuel. In one embodiment, the vaporizer gasifies the oxygen by absorption of heat from air before the air is routed into a separate heat engine, such as a gas turbine. The gas turbine thus operates on cooled air and has its power output increased. | 06-02-2011 |
20120073810 | SITU HYDROCARBON UPGRADING WITH FLUID GENERATED TO PROVIDE STEAM AND HYDROGEN - Methods and apparatus relate to recovery of in situ upgraded hydrocarbons by injecting steam and hydrogen into a reservoir containing the hydrocarbons. A mixture output generated as water is vaporized by direct contact with flow from fuel-rich combustion provides the steam and hydrogen. The steam heats the hydrocarbons facilitating flow of the hydrocarbons and reaction of the hydrogen with the hydrocarbons to enable hydroprocessing prior to recovery of the hydrocarbons to surface. | 03-29-2012 |
20130022537 | HYDROGEN PRODUCTION FROM AN OXYFUEL COMBUSTOR - A method is provided for hydrogen production from a hydrogen and carbon containing fuel combusted within an oxyfuel combustor. The oxyfuel combustor combusts hydrogen and carbon containing fuel with oxygen at a non-stoichiometric ratio, typically fuel rich. In such an operating mode, products of combustion include steam, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and hydrogen. These products of combustion are then passed through a hydrogen separator. Remaining products of combustion can be optionally combusted at a stoichiometric ratio with oxygen in a second oxyfuel combustor discharging substantially only steam and carbon dioxide. A turbine or other expander can be provided downstream from the gas generator to produce power and eliminate carbon monoxide from the system. The system can be operated in a second mode where the gas generator combusts the fuel with oxygen at a stoichiometric ratio to maximize electric power generation without hydrogen production at periods of peak power demand. | 01-24-2013 |