Abstract: A system includes an expandable distal end of a catheter and a processor. The expandable distal end has multiple electrodes that are configured to be placed in contact with a tissue in an organ and to apply ablative power to tissue. The processor is configured to, during application of the ablative power, determine whether a physical contact between the electrodes and tissue meets a predefined contact quality, and, if the physical contact of an electrode among the electrodes with the tissue does not meet the predefined contact quality, re-use the electrode for electrophysiological (EP) sensing.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft and an inflatable sleeve catheter. The shaft is configured for insertion through a sheath into a cavity of an organ of a patient. The inflatable sleeve catheter is fixed to a distal end of the shaft, with the inflatable sleeve catheter including (i) a resilient inner end section, which is fixed to the distal end of the shaft and is formed so as to assume a predefined shape when unconstrained, (ii) an inflatable sleeve that envelopes the inner end section, and a plurality of electrodes that are disposed over the inflatable sleeve and are configured to contact tissue.

Abstract: A catheter balloon includes a membrane having a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of substrates are bonded about the membrane. The ability of a bond's ability to withstand repeated stresses during use may be improved by using a reinforcement or a stress relief, while also minimizing the overall thickness of the balloon proximate to its distal end. The reinforcement may comprise a portion of an unassembled membrane. Alternatively, the reinforcement may comprise an adhesive-margin tip. The stress relief may be a serpentine portion of a distal tail of a substrate.

Abstract: A system, method and user interface that allows a user to define a quality profile for acquiring points. The system, method and user interface divide the parameters across the quality index into groups. Such groups may include annotation, location and morphology, for example. The groups allow a user to select the weight of each group for computing the quality index. Each parameter may be assigned a score, such as from 1-5, for example, where a lower score defines a lower quality and a higher score defines a higher quality. Through a proper acquisition method, the user may be able to acquire points with a customized quality profile.

Abstract: A method for annotating ECG signals with a time of activation of a myocardium is provided which comprises receiving a bipolar signal and one unipolar signal of the bipolar signal from a pair of electrodes, computing a local unipolar minimum derivative of the unipolar signal at a plurality of times of occurrences of the local unipolar minimum derivative, computing a bipolar derivative of the bipolar signal, evaluating a ratio of the bipolar derivative to the local unipolar minimum derivative, annotating each time of occurrence as a time of activation of the myocardium at a location in a heart when the ratio is greater than a threshold value, extracting features of the annotations and assigning a confidence level to each feature, eliminating annotations based on a subset of the extracted features and a pair reduction analysis, and generating a local activation time map using the remaining candidate annotations.

Abstract: A method that includes selectively positioning an ablation catheter system at a treatment site; and ablating tissue at the treatment site with the ablation catheter system using a power setting of approximately 90W applied to tissue for approximately four (4) second increments with a break period of approximately 4 seconds between applications.

Abstract: A system includes an interface and a processor. The interface is configured to receive an electrogram acquired in a heart of a patient. The processor is configured to (i) estimate a level of injury current present in the electrogram, and (ii) based on the estimated level of injury current, decide whether to use the electrogram in a subsequent analysis.

Abstract: A medical apparatus includes a probe configured for insertion into a body of a patient and comprising an array of electrodes disposed along the probe and configured to contact tissue within the body. An electrical signal generator applies sequences of bipolar pulses over one or more trios of the electrodes, each trio including first, second and third neighboring electrodes, such that the second electrode is disposed between and adjacent to the first and third electrodes. While the probe contacts the tissue, the electrical signal generator applies the sequences of the bipolar pulses between the first and second electrodes during one or more first time intervals, and between the second and third electrodes during one or more second time intervals, and between the first and third electrodes during one or more third time intervals, wherein the first, second and third time intervals are mutually disjointed.

Abstract: A catheter manufacturing method includes the step of providing a hollow cylindrical part of a catheter, having a longitudinal axis, to be bonded to a given part along respective edge surfaces of the hollow cylindrical and the given parts. One or more undercut structures that are disposed circumferentially with respect to the longitudinal axis and also generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, the undercut structures having a radial orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis, are formed at least in the edge surface of the hollow cylindrical part. The hollow cylindrical part and the given part are connected using the undercut structures.

Abstract: A balloon of a balloon catheter must be able to withstand fatigue to its componentry caused by multiple cycles of repeat motions, such as deployment from a lumen of the catheter, expanding the balloon, collapsing the balloon, and withdrawal of the balloon into the lumen. The catheter balloon may include plurality of electrode substrates, each including a plurality of tails. A reinforcement component, which may be a portion of another balloon, may be disposed over at least some of the plurality of tails and attached to the membrane. Where tails are provided on the proximal and distal ends of the balloon, two reinforcement mechanisms may be used.

Abstract: A medical probe, including a flexible insertion tube having proximal and distal ends, and a basket assembly at the distal end of the flexible insertion tube. In embodiments of the present invention, the basket assembly includes a plurality of spines and a plurality of electrodes, each of the electrodes having a lumen therethrough fitting a given spine.

Abstract: A catheter includes an ablation electrode and an irrigation channel. The ablation electrode is configured to ablate tissue of a patient organ and is fitted over an insertion tube for insertion into the patient organ. The irrigation channel includes: (i) a lumen which is formed along an axis of the insertion tube, and is configured to flow irrigation fluid to the ablation electrode, and (ii) one or more irrigation holes, which are formed in the ablation electrode, and are configured to apply the irrigation fluid to the organ. The irrigation channel is configured to simultaneously (i) receive a guidewire for guiding the catheter and (ii) flow the irrigation fluid.

Abstract: Examples of the present invention include a medical probe having an insertion tube, a basket assembly, an axial electrode, and a plurality of radial electrodes. The insertion tube is configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient. The basket assembly has a proximal end that is connected distally to the insertion tube and includes a plurality of resilient spines, which are configured to bow radially outward from an axis of the basket assembly and are conjoined at a distal end of the basket assembly. The axial electrode is disposed at the distal end of the basket assembly, having a diameter of at least 1.5 millimeters, and is configured to contact tissue in the body cavity. The plurality of radial electrodes are configured to contact the tissue in the body cavity and include radial electrodes disposed on the spines.

Abstract: A method includes, using a processor, identifying a septum and a Left Atrium Appendage (LAA) of a heart of a patient in an anatomical map of at least part of the heart. An entry surface over which a medical device is defined on the anatomical map, which is to be delivered via a sheath that penetrates the septum, is to engage with the LAA. A normal to the entry surface is calculated. A plurality of curves is calculated that each (i) have one end that is tangent to the normal, (ii) have a second end touching the septum, and (iii) comply with specified mechanical properties of the sheath. Multiple candidate locations on the septum are derived from the curves, for transseptal puncture with the sheath. The multiple candidate locations are presented to a user.

Abstract: A catheter includes a catheter body and a distal tip section that includes an elongated member that extends along a longitudinal axis. An anchor mechanism can be disposed along an outer surface of the elongated member and/or within the elongated member in a first configuration. In a second configuration, the anchor mechanism can be configured to extend radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis to surround at least a portion of the distal tip section.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes an expandable structure, configured for insertion into a body of a subject, and a plurality of conducting elements coupled to the expandable structure. Each of the conducting elements comprises a respective coil and has an insulated portion that is electrically insulated from tissue of the subject, and an uninsulated portion configured to exchange signals with the tissue, while in contact with the tissue. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A medical probe includes a flexible spline assembly coupled to a distal end of an elongated shaft and including spline conductors. The spline conductors are electrically coupled to each other at a common distal termination, and each spline conductor extends proximally in an arcuate shape. The medical probe includes elongated conductors extending through the elongated shaft and being electrically coupled to a respective spline conductor. A computational system is configured to provide an output to a plurality of radiators to thereby generate alternating magnetic fields, measure electrical signals across pairs of spline conductors induced by the alternating magnetic fiels, and calculate a position and an orientation of an ellipsoid volume encompassed by the spline conductors based on the electrical signals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method to provide information about an ablation lesion zone (width or depth). Such information on the ablation lesion zone can be projected onto an electro-anatomical map based on the magnitude of the contact force, number of times energy were delivered to tissues and pre-clinical data.

Abstract: 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.