Abstract: Systems and methods for aligning directionally operable medical devices with and upon target tissue. Systems and methods for aligning medical devices such as directional ablation catheters to and upon target tissue by monitoring irrigant backpressure. The current disclosure provides solutions to the problem of rotationally or angularly aligning a directional medical device toward tissue.

Abstract: A single optical fiber force-sensing assembly includes a catheter configured to detect both axial and bending tip displacement. The catheter includes a flexible structure located adjacent to a distal tip portion of the catheter. The single optical fiber within the catheter defines a first reflective surface. A second reflective surface is located closely adjacent to the first reflective surface.

Abstract: An ablation catheter comprises an elongated catheter body; at least one ablation element disposed in a distal portion which is adjacent the distal end of the catheter body; an illumination optical element disposed in the distal portion, the illumination optical element being light-transmissive to emit light from the illumination optical element to the targeted tissue region; and a collection optical element disposed in the distal portion, the collection optical element being light-transmissive to collect one or more of returned, backscattered or newly excited light from the targeted tissue region. The illumination or excitation optical element and the collection optical element are axially spaced from one another and axially optically isolated from one another within the distal portion to substantially prevent light from traveling between the illumination optical element and the collection optical element along a path within the distal portion.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure can include an apparatus. The apparatus can include a balloon and a coil inside the balloon. The apparatus can also include an elongate shaft with a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, where the distal end portion of the shaft is coupled with the balloon. The elongate shaft can include a lumen, wherein the lumen comprises a first lumen portion inside the shaft and a second lumen portion inside the balloon. The apparatus can include a closed loop circulation path where the elongate shaft, the lumen, and the balloon are configured to circulate a fluid through the closed loop circulation path.

Abstract: An ablation catheter (10) includes a body (12) having a distal end (16), a hollow tip (22) attached to the distal end and an ultrasound transducer assembly positioned within the hollow tip and mounted to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The hollow tip includes an acoustically transparent shell, which allows acoustic energy to pass to and from the ultrasound transducer assembly, and an electrically-conductive coating on its exterior surface, which allows ablating energy to be delivered to an adjacent tissue. A plurality of ribs extend inwardly from an inner surface of the shell. A system (100) incorporating the ablation catheter and methods of using the same to ablate, image and/or monitor tissue are also disclosed.

Abstract: An ablation catheter comprises an elongated catheter body; at least one ablation element disposed in a distal portion which is adjacent the distal end of the catheter body; an illumination optical element disposed in the distal portion, the illumination optical element being light-transmissive to emit light from the illumination optical element to the targeted tissue region; and a collection optical element disposed in the distal portion, the collection optical element being light-transmissive to collect one or more of returned, backscattered or newly excited light from the targeted tissue region. The illumination or excitation optical element and the collection optical element are axially spaced from one another and axially optically isolated from one another within the distal portion to substantially prevent light from traveling between the illumination optical element and the collection optical element along a path within the distal portion.

Abstract: A directable acoustic transducer assembly is presented for use in a medical insertion device (MID). In an embodiment, the assembly aims an acoustic signal in response to a sensed or detected force or load imposed on the MID. The directable acoustic transducer assembly includes a switch array and a plurality of directional acoustic transducer elements. The switch array responds to the force or load and activates the directional acoustic transducer elements closest to the source of the force or load. The switch array may include a plurality of switches, at least one of which responses to a force or load and may activate directional acoustic transducer elements having a target tissue in the field of view. The assembly includes embodiments that are responsive to various loads. A directable acoustic transducer assembly may be part of a diagnostic and/or therapeutic system, such as an RF ablation system.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for aligning directionally operable medical devices with and upon target tissue. In particular, the instant disclosure relates to systems and methods for aligning medical devices such as directional ablation catheters to and upon target tissue by monitoring irrigant backpressure.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to electrophysiology catheters for cardiac medical procedures. More specifically, the instant disclosure relates to an ablation catheter for treating cardiac arrhythmias by ablating tissue, and having one or more subelectrodes internally fixed within the ablation catheter tip to capture electrophysiology characteristics of myocardial tissue in proximity to the one or more subelectrodes.

Abstract: An ablation catheter includes a tubular catheter body having a lumen, a tip portion, a liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet, a liquid flow path defined between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, and an ablation element mounted on the tip portion of the catheter body. A rotationally-scanning ultrasound assembly is disposed within the lumen of the catheter body adjacent the tip portion. The ultrasound assembly includes an ultrasound transducer having an active face, an acoustic mirror acoustically coupled to the active face of the ultrasound transducer, and an impeller positioned in the liquid flow path and operably coupled to at least one of the ultrasound transducer and the acoustic mirror to impart rotational motion thereto when a liquid flows through the impeller.

Abstract: A directable acoustic transducer assembly is presented for use in a medical insertion device (MID). In an embodiment, the assembly aims an acoustic signal in response to a sensed or detected force or load imposed on the MID. The directable acoustic transducer assembly includes a switch array and a plurality of directional acoustic transducer elements. The switch array responds to the force or load and activates the directional acoustic transducer elements closest to the source of the force or load. The switch array may include a plurality of switches, at least one of which responses to a force or load and may activate directional acoustic transducer elements having a target tissue in the field of view. The assembly includes embodiments that are responsive to various loads. A directable acoustic transducer assembly may be part of a diagnostic and/or therapeutic system, such as an RF ablation system.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods of monitoring lesion formation using one-dimensional echograms are disclosed. In certain aspects, lesion formation progress is monitored using the intensity of reflectors in successive echograms during ablation. In another aspect, lesion formation progress is monitored based upon actual or apparent movement of acoustic reflectors before and after ablation. In still another aspect, the presence or absence of resonant microbubbles known to populate forming lesions are used to provide feedback on lesion formation. A lesion analysis processor can be programmed to determine lesion formation progress using any of the foregoing approaches, either alone or in various combinations.

Abstract: Systems and methods for aligning directionally operable medical devices with and upon target tissue. Systems and methods for aligning medical devices such as directional ablation catheters to and upon target tissue by monitoring irrigant backpressure. The current disclosure provides solutions to the problem of rotationally or angularly aligning a directional medical device toward tissue.

Abstract: An apparatus for imaging tissue in three dimensions (e.g. ICE catheter) includes a shaft, a static imaging element (20) disposed within the shaft, an oscillating energy deflector (24) positioned within the beam path of the imaging element, and a drive assembly operable to oscillate the energy deflector. The imaging element can be acoustic or electromagnetic, and the energy deflector can be a prism, a lens or an acoustic mirror. By oscillating the energy deflector and/or by providing an asymmetric energy deflector, a plurality of two-dimensional image slices can be obtained. These image slices can then be assembled into a three-dimensional volumetric image.

Abstract: An ablation catheter includes a tubular catheter body having a lumen, a tip portion, a liquid inlet, at least one liquid outlet, a liquid flow path defined between the liquid inlet and the liquid outlet, and an ablation element mounted on the tip portion of the catheter body. A rotationally-scanning ultrasound assembly is disposed within the lumen of the catheter body adjacent the tip portion. The ultrasound assembly includes an ultrasound transducer having an active face, an acoustic mirror acoustically coupled to the active face of the ultrasound transducer, and an impeller positioned in the liquid flow path and operably coupled to at least one of the ultrasound transducer and the acoustic mirror to impart rotational motion thereto when a liquid flows through the impeller.

Abstract: An ablation catheter comprises: an elongated catheter body extending longitudinally between a proximal end and a distal end along a longitudinal axis; a distal member disposed adjacent the distal end, the distal member including an ablation element to ablate a biological member; one or more acoustic transducers disposed in the distal member and each configured to direct an acoustic signal toward a respective target ablation region and receive reflection echoes therefrom; and an acoustic redirection member disposed in the distal member to at least partially redirect the acoustic signal from at least one of the acoustic transducers toward a tissue target. The distal member includes a most-distal portion, a proximal portion, and a deflectable portion between the most-distal portion and proximal portion to permit deflection between the most-distal portion and proximal portion of the distal member. The transducers and redirection member are mounted on opposite sides of the deflectable portion.

Abstract: A medical device, system, and method having a flexible shaft and a multi-core fiber within the flexible shaft. The multi-core fiber includes a plurality of optical cores dedicated for shape sensing sensors, and a plurality of optical cores dedicated for force sensing sensors. A medical device flexing structure assembly can comprise a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores, and a flexing structure comprising at least one slot. Each of the plurality of cores can comprise a fiber Bragg grating, and the flexing structure can be configured to bend in response to a force imparted on the flexing structure.

Abstract: Electrode assemblies include segmented electrodes disposed on a catheter. The segmented electrodes can be constructed at the tip of the catheter. Tip electrodes can be constructed from an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace.

Abstract: A deflectable, flexible device includes an elongate body, a convoluted tip portion at a distal end of the elongate body, and a lumen to receive one or more wires. The convoluted tip portion includes an electroformed pleated region which is formed by electrodepositing a metal on a mandrel having a pleated region. The convoluted tip portion may be hermetically sealed to permit repeated sterilization. The electroformed pleated region may include one or more fluid emission orifices. The convoluted tip portion extends or bends in response to fluid pressure manipulation, contact with tissue, manipulation with an internal spring or wire, or by a user pushing, pulling, or twisting the catheter directly or via an introducer sheath or the like. The convoluted tip portion may further include an RF ablation element or other energy-driven technique to create continuous linear lesions or a sensing element.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound transducer is provided. The ultrasound transducer is activated and the activity across the transducer is measured to determine whether the activity at any area does not meet an acceptance criteria. The transducer is then modified so that the area meets the acceptance criteria. The transducer may be modified with a laser which removes material from the area which does not meet the acceptance criteria.