摘要:
A catheter employs a pre-formed distal end and a proximal deflection mechanism for steering the catheter. A shaped member extends from a shaped region of the catheter sheath to at least a portion of an anchor region. A steering ribbon extends from a proximal region of the sheath and passes within at least a portion of the anchor region. A distal end of the steering ribbon is joined with a proximal portion of the shaped member. At least one steering tendon is disposed within the sheath and has a first end attached at the anchor region and a second end located at the proximal region of the sheath. Movement of the steering tendon in a proximal direction causes the deflection region to deflect relative to the longitudinal axis of the catheter while the shape of shaped region of the sheath is substantially maintained.
摘要:
A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a heart chamber wall portion from vessel such as a pulmonary vein extending into a wall portion comprises (a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion; (b) an expandable centering element connected to the centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within the vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing the elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to the vessel when the centering element is in an expanded configuration; (c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to the centering catheter the ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to the ablation catheter distal end portion.
摘要:
A wire housed within a sheath is formed of a shape-retentive and resilient material having a curved shape at its distal-end region resulting in the catheter sheath having the curved shape. The catheter sheath also has an axially oriented tendon for causing deflection of the distal-end region. A movable outer sleeve surrounds the sheath and conforms the portion of the wire positioned within the outer sleeve to the shape of the outer sleeve. Upon relative displacement of the sheath and the outer sleeve a portion of the sheath extends beyond the outer sleeve and resumes its preformed curved distal shape thereby forcing the catheter distal-end region into the same curved shape. The operator may adjust the relative positions of the sheath and outer sleeve to changes the shape of the distal-end region. The operator may also axially move the tendon to adjust the radius or curvature of the distal-end region.
摘要:
A steerable catheter comprising a resilient deflectable body member having an expandable electrode array at the distal end thereof, and a manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the body member, the handle including an array deployment device. A mandrel is movable through the shaft of the catheter by control movements at the handle to deploy the array or collapse the array as selected. A displacement compensation system is operatively connected to the mandrel such that when the array is expanded, the compensation system biases the mandrel so keep the array expanded, even during instances of deflection of the distal end. Similarly, the displacement compensation system biases the mandrel to keep the array collapsed when that configuration is selected, even during instances of straightening of the catheter. The displacement compensation system also compensates for overturning the control device in the handle to protect the array and deployment systems.
摘要:
The invention provides an apparatus having a tubular member for receiving an endocardial lead implanted within a patient's body. Disposed generally at a distal end of the tubular member is at least one blade or cutting surface. An adjustment mechanism moves the blade between retracted and extended positions to engage the cutting surface with the endocardial lead to cut the lead. Once severed, the cut portion of the lead remains within an inner channel of the tubular member and the apparatus and cut portion of the lead are removed from within the patient. Various embodiments include the blade pivotally connected to the distal end of the tubular member and activated by a wire adjustment mechanism. Others include a metallic wire for slicing through the lead. Still others include a pneumatically actuated adjustment mechanism that inflates to move the blade and engage the cutting surface with the lead.
摘要:
An apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation with ablation therapy in which a stent is deployed within a pulmonary vein and tissue surrounding the stent is ablated with radiofrequency energy to stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium. The deployed stent can then be left in place to prevent stenosis of the vein as well as allowing repeat ablation procedures as needed.
摘要:
A catheter system includes an outer catheter having a lumen and an inner catheter sized to fit within and slide through the lumen of the outer catheter. Both catheters may be introduced into an anatomical site through a single introduction path. At the distal-end region of each catheter is an electrode system. One electrode system is for mapping the site; the other is for ablating the site. The distal-end regions of one or both of the catheters may be linear shaped, circular shaped, or radially expandable. When the catheter system is deployed the electrode systems carried by the distal-end regions of the mapping catheter and the ablation catheter are movable relative to each other and tend to lie in planes substantially parallel to each other. Another catheter system includes two separate electrode systems on a single expandable member shaped so that both electrode systems come in contact with separate sites.
摘要:
A tip electrode for an ablation catheter mounted at the distal tip of an elongated catheter body member has a distal-end region and a proximal-end region. A tip thermal sensor is located at or near the apex of the distal-end region and one or more side thermal sensors are located near the surface of the proximal-end region. The electrode is preferably an assembly formed from a hollow dome-shaped shell with a core disposed within the shell. The side thermal sensor wires are electrically connected inside the shell and the core has a longitudinal channel for the side thermal sensor wires welded to the shell. The shell also preferably has a pocket in the apex of the shell, and the end thermal sensor wires pass through the core to the apex of the shell. Spaces between the shell and the core can be filled with epoxy resin. Alternatively, the electrode is formed of a solid metal having a plurality of bores for positioning thermal sensors at the tip and near the surface of the electrode.
摘要:
A catheter has a stylet formed of a shape-retentive and resilient material having a preformed curved shape at its distal end resulting in the catheter sheath having the preformed curved shape. The catheter sheath has a plurality of electrodes at its distal end for contacting selected biological tissue for imparting ablation energy thereto. The catheter sheath also has an axially mounted tendon for causing deflection of the distal end. The stylet material permits straightening the catheter sheath during insertion into the patient and advancing the electrodes to the target tissue. Upon removal of the straightening forces, such as by entry into a chamber of the heart, the stylet material resumes its preformed curved distal shape thereby forcing the catheter distal end with the electrodes into the same preformed curved shape. The operator may place the curved distal end into contact with the target tissue and axially move the tendon as desired to gain greater control over the bend in the distal end of the catheter sheath to adjust the radius of curvature of the distal end to obtain greater contact of the electrodes with the heart tissue. Preferably, the stylet is formed of nitinol.
摘要:
A catheter having a preformed distal shape for positioning a plurality of electrodes at a selected biological site includes a sheath having a preformed bend in the distal end region to distribute axial forces applied, in the distal direction, to the distal end region over a surface area of the distal end region proximal the distal tip. Also included in the catheter sheath is a stylet formed of a material capable of retaining a shape with the distal end of the stylet shaped in the preformed bend. Preferably, the preformed bend is approximately 45 degrees. Axial forces applied to the catheter are deflected to cause bowing of the catheter so that a larger surface area of the catheter contacts the tissue, rather than the smaller surface area of the distal tip. In other aspects, the portion of the sheath coincident with the preformed bend has a lower durometer, the stylet is more flexible by having a reduced diameter and the electrodes are located proximal to the preformed bend.