Abstract: A surgical method and apparatus for positioning a diagnostic or therapeutic element within the body. The apparatus may be catheter-based or a probe including a relatively short shaft.

Abstract: An electrode support structure comprises a guide body having at its distal end a flexible spline leg. The spline leg is flexed to define an arcuate shape to facilitate intimate contact against tissue. An electrode element is carried by the spline leg for movement along its axis. The structure includes a control element coupled to the electrode element. The control element remotely imparts force to move the electrode element along the axis of the spline leg. Therefore, in use, the physician can cause the electrode element to travel along a path that the spline leg defines, without otherwise changing the location of the guide body.

Abstract: A catheter assembly comprises a sheath, which includes a side wall enclosing an interior bore, a distal region, and an opening in the sidewall. The assembly also comprises a bendable catheter tube, which is carried for sliding movement in the interior bore. The catheter tube has a distal portion. The assembly further comprises a coupling, which joins the distal region of the sheath and the distal portion of the catheter tube. The coupling causes bending of the catheter tube outwardly through the opening, in response to sliding movement of the catheter tube within the interior bore toward the distal region of the sheath.

Abstract: Systems and methods for heating or ablating tissue use a porous electrode. The porous electrode comprises a wall having an interior area that contains an electrically conductive element. At least a portion of the wall comprises a porous material sized to block passage of blood cells while passing ions. The systems and methods position the porous electrode in contact with tissue. The systems and methods couple the electrically conductive element to a source of electrical energy. The systems and methods convey a fluid medium containing ions into the interior area to enable ionic transfer of electrical energy from the electrical conducting element through the fluid medium and porous material to ablate tissue. The systems and methods also specify differing electrical resistivities for the porous material based, at least in part, upon achieving differing desired tissue heating or ablation effects.

Abstract: Systems and related methods guide a movable electrode within an array of multiple electrodes located within the body. The systems and methods employ the movable electrode or at least one of the multiple electrodes on the array to generate and then sense electrical or sonic energy in a predetermined fashion to generates an output that locates the movable electrode within the array.

Abstract: A method of bonding sections of a catheter body together in abutting relationship including the steps of providing a temperature resistance polymeric sleeve, which sleeve preferably has a spirally wound metallic wire imbedded between its inner and outer diameters. The sleeve is inserted into ends of tubing segments to be joined together to form a catheter body. Then heat is applied over the area including the sleeve to melt the tubing over the sleeve.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ablating body tissue use an electrode for contacting tissue to form a tissue-electrode interface. The electrode is coupled to a source of ablation energy for transmitting ablation energy at a prescribed ablation power level into tissue to form, over a prescribed ablation time period, a therapeutic result. The therapeutic result includes a lesion that extends beneath the tissue-electrode interface to a boundary depth between viable and nonviable tissue and a maximum tissue temperature developed within the lesion between the tissue-electrode interface and the boundary depth. The systems and methods include an element to cool the electrode. An input element inputs a desired therapeutic result including at least a targeted lesion boundary depth.

Abstract: An electrode assembly for use in interventricular cardiac mapping includes one or more elongated splines each of which carries a plurality of spaced apart electrodes thereon. The body of each spline is formed of a plurality of alternating electrically conductive layers and the electrically non-conductive layers. A separate electrically conductive pathway is provided to connect each of the electrodes to a different one of the conductive layers. Each of the layers is electrically connected to an electrical signal processing device so that signals provided by each of the electrodes can be processed.

Abstract: A catheter assembly having a sheath, which includes a side wall enclosing an interior bore, and a distal region. The assembly also has a bendable catheter tube, which is carried for sliding movement in the interior bore. A pull wire also runs through the interior bore of the sheath, preferably within a lumen. The catheter tube has a distal portion with a coupling which joins the distal portion of the catheter tube and the distal portion of the pull wire. Relative movement of the pull wire and the sheath causes bending of the catheter tube outwardly through the opening, in response to sliding movement of the catheter tube within the interior bore toward the distal region of the sheath.

Abstract: A system is used in association with a structure which, in use, is deployed in an interior body region. The structure includes an operative element. A switch matrix is coupled to the operative element. The switch matrix includes a plurality of inputs and a plurality of outputs. A controller is coupled to the switch matrix to control the switch matrix to couple the operative element to selected ones of the inputs and selected ones of the outputs in accordance with applied commands. An interface is coupled to the controller. The interface includes an input element to receive operator input and a processor to generate applied commands to the controller in response to operator input. The interface also includes an image controller to generate an image of the structure while coupled to the switch matrix. The image controller generates markers on the image in response to signals transmitted from the operative element through the switch matrix.

Abstract: An imaging element characterizes tissue morphology by analyzing perfusion patterns of a contrast media in tissue visualized by the imaging element, to identify infarcted tissue. In a preferred implementation, a catheter tube introduced into a heart region carries the imaging element, as well as a support structure spaced from the imaging element, which contacts endocardial tissue. The imaging element is moved as the imaging element visualizes tissue. A selected electrical event is sensed in surrounding myocardial tissue, which regulates movement of the imaging element. The support element stabilizes the moving imaging element as it visualizes tissue, providing resistance to dislodgment or disorientation despite the presence of dynamic forces.

Abstract: A steering mechanism including a steering shaft coupled to a controller which includes a handle and apparatus for manipulating the distal end of the steering shaft. The steering shaft includes a flexible coiled spring having a lead spring fixed in position with respect to a distal end thereof in the distal end of the steering shaft. One or more steering wires is affixed at the distal ends thereof to the lead spring. The steering wires extend through the steering shaft to the controller, and the steering apparatus of the controller is used to place tension on one or both of the steering wires. The attachment of the distal ends of the steering wires to the lead spring may be opposite one another or may be offset for providing greater maneuverability.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ablating body tissue use an ablation element for contacting tissue to form a tissue interface. The ablation element is adapted to be connected to a source of ablation energy to conduct ablation energy for transmission by the ablation element into tissue at the tissue interface. The systems and methods include a tissue temperature sensing element held in a carrier in thermal conductive contact with tissue beneath the tissue interface. A mechanism attached to the carrier selectively advances the carrier relative to the ablation element to different depths beneath the tissue interface. A controller is coupled to the mechanism and to the tissue temperature sensing element to control advancement of the carrier beneath the tissue interface based, at least in part, upon tissue temperatures sensed by the sensing element beneath the tissue interface. Preferably, the controller controls the mechanism to locate the sensing element at the depth where the hottest sensed tissue temperature exists.

Abstract: Devices and methods for ablating body tissue. The devices include a support body and at least one elongated electrode. Adjacent windings are spaced apart to impart enhanced flexibility to the elongated electrode.

Abstract: A diagnostic apparatus including a catheter carrying a first ultrasonic transducer adapted to be inserted into a patient, a second ultrasonic transducer adapted to be placed in spaced relation to the catheter at either a known location within the patient's body or a known location associated with the exterior surface of the patient's body, a processing device operably connected to at least the first ultrasonic transducer, and a display device.

Abstract: Systems and methods using an electrode able to transmit heating or ablation energy into tissue include first and second sensing elements associated with the electrode for measuring first and second temperatures. The electrode also includes a heating element in thermal conductive contact with the electrode for heating the electrode. The systems and methods sequentially activate the heating element and sense temperatures without transmitting tissue heating or ablation energy, and then transmit heating or ablation energy and sense temperatures without activating the heating element, to derive from the sensed temperatures a prediction of maximum tissue temperature.

Abstract: A catheter handle including a handle body defining a longitudinally extending handle aperture, a connector adapted to connect a steering wire to the handle body, a piston located at least partially within the handle aperture and slidable relative to the handle aperture, the piston being adapted to be operably connected to a catheter body, and a biasing element, operably connected to the piston, to bias the piston in the distal direction. As an alternative to the biasing element, or in addition, the catheter handle may also include a steering wire anchor associated with the handle body and including a movable portion operably connected to the proximal portion of the steering wire.

Abstract: An interface for performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure on heart tissue with an electrode structure includes a controller which operates to establish an operating condition for the electrode structure, a processing unit coupled to the controller, a memory storage device including process software adapted to be executed by the processing unit and a graphical user interface including a display screen coupled to the processing unit. The process software performs a first control application and a second control application, each control application prescribing procedures for carrying out a given task using the electrode structure, at least one of the control applications prescribing a clinical procedure affecting heart tissue.

Abstract: Structures having asymmetric mechanical properties provide enhanced ability to support therapeutic or diagnostic elements in contact with tissue in an interior body region. The support structure includes a first region, which exhibits a first mechanical property affecting tissue contact, and a second region spaced from the first region about the axis, which exhibits a second mechanical property, different than the first mechanical property, affecting tissue contact. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second mechanical properties correlate with stiffness of the respective first and second regions, with the first region being more flexible (i.e., less stiff) than the second region. The first region, due to its greater flexibility, is more conformal to tissue than the second region. The less flexible (i.e., more stiff) second region imparts greater force against the tissue to urge the more flexible first region toward intimate tissue contact.

Abstract: A device for creating the lesions in body tissue includes a support element having an electromagnetic energy emitting region. When caused to emit electromagnetic energy, the region creates a single continuous lesion that is long and thin, having a length that is substantially greater than its width.