Abstract: A catheter having a distal assembly with multiple spines with proximal ends affixed to the catheter and free distal ends. The spines have different lengths so distal ends of the spines trace different circumferences along an inner tissue surface of a tubular region to minimize risk of vein stenosis. The spine lengths can be configured so that the distal ends trace a helical pattern. The distal assembly may have a plunger which deflects the spines when moved longitudinally relative to the distal assembly. The catheter may include a second distal assembly distal of a first distal assembly wherein the first and second distal assemblies are separated by a fixed distanced or an adjustable distance.

Abstract: A catheter adapted or high density mapping and/or ablation of tissue surface has a distal electrode array with offset spine loops, each spine loop having at least a pair of linear portions and a distal portion connecting the pair of linear portions, and one or more electrodes on each linear portion. The linear portions of the plurality of offset spine loops are arranged in-plane a single common plane, and the distal portions of the plurality of offset spine loops are arranged off-plane from the single common plane.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a catheter having a basket-shaped electrode assembly with a high electrode density. The basket-shaped electrode assembly may have a plurality of spines, such as up to twelve, each with a plurality of electrodes, such as up to sixteen. The distal ends of the plurality of spines are joined at a distal hub, all of which are fashioned from a single piece of superelastic material.

Abstract: Described embodiments include a processor that receives signals from a probe, as the probe is placed at respective locations on a body of a subject, and derives, from the signals, a set of points that correspond to the respective locations. The processor then registers the set of points with a three-dimensional image of the body, by identifying, for each of the points, one or more voxels of the image whose respective surface normals are oriented within a given angle of an orientation at which the probe was held at the location to which the point corresponds, and computing a transformation that aligns each of the points with a selected one of the voxels that were identified for the point. The processor then tracks, based on the registering, a location of an intrabody tool, in a coordinate system of an imaging device that was used to acquire the image.

Abstract: A catheter packaging includes a catheter tray, having a bottom, a raised edge connected to and surrounding the bottom, a first matrix of holes perforated through the bottom, and a protuberance protruding above a portion of the bottom, the protuberance being dimensioned to raise a distal end of a catheter attached to the protuberance by a predetermined height above the bottom. The protuberance includes a second matrix of holes perforated through the protuberance. The catheter packaging further includes first ties, configured to secure the catheter to the bottom of the catheter tray by threading the first ties through selected holes of the first matrix and tying the first ties around the catheter, and second ties, configured to secure the distal end of the catheter to the protuberance by threading the second ties through selected holes of the second matrix and tying the second ties around the distal end.

Abstract: A steerable catheter is disclosed, having an elongated, tubular catheter body with at least one deflection member slidably disposed within a lumen, secured at a distal end to a tip section and terminating in an interconnect at a proximal end and a handle releasably attached to the proximal end of the catheter body. The handle has at least one sliding member coupled to an actuator, such that manipulation of the actuator causes relative longitudinal movement with respect to the handle, wherein the interconnect and the sliding member engage when the handle is attached to the catheter body so that the relative longitudinal movement of the sliding member is transmitted to the deflection member and wherein the interconnect and the sliding member disengage when the handle is released from the catheter body.

Abstract: A method is disclosed comprising: performing a first scan of an organ using a set of electrodes in a catheter that are currently active; deactivating one or more of the electrodes in the set based on data that is collected as a result of the first scan; tuning the set by at least one of (i) deactivating one or more electrodes in the set that remain active after the deactivating, and (ii) activating one or more electrodes in the catheter that are inactive; performing a second scan of the organ using electrodes in the set that are currently active after the tuning is performed, and generating a map of the organ based on data collected as a result of the second scan; and outputting the map of the organ for presentation to a user.

Abstract: A method, including positioning body-electrodes in galvanic contact with a body of a patient and locating a probe in the body of the patient. The method further includes tracking positions of the probe during respiration of the patient and determining indications related to impedances between the body-electrodes during the respiration. The method also includes calculating a function relating the positions of the probe to the indications, and applying the function to identify end-expirium points of the respiration based on subsequent indications related to the impedances.

Abstract: Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes a display, including a screen, and a processor. The processor is configured to define a bounding region on the screen. The processor is further configured to render a quadric, which is defined in a parameter space, over a three-dimensional electroanatomical map of a surface of a heart that is displayed on the screen, by, for each pixel in the bounding region, transforming, to the parameter space, a virtual ray that passes through the pixel, and ascertaining whether a point of intersection between the transformed virtual ray and the quadric exists in the parameter space, and, for each pixel in the bounding region for which the point of intersection exists, rendering the pixel on the screen, based on properties of the point of intersection. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: While a catheter that includes (i) a catheter body, and (ii) a catheter shaft, which includes a sensor and which is disposed inside a lumen of the catheter body, is inside a body of a subject, a coordinate system of the sensor is registered with a coordinate system of an imaging system, using (a) a calibration image, acquired by the imaging system, that shows an indication of a distal end of the catheter body, and (b) a signal from the sensor, but not using any indication of the sensor shown in the calibration image. Using the registering, a visual output is generated. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a catheter having a dual node multiray electrode assembly at the distal end of the catheter body. The dual node multiray electrode assembly includes a proximal multiray array with a plurality of spines connected at one end, each spine having at least one ablation electrode, and a distal node. The dual node multiray electrode assembly may have an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration wherein the spines are arranged generally along a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The distal node may be configured to be deployed within a vessel and the proximal multiray array may be configured to engage tissue forming an ostium of the vessel with the ablation electrodes. In some embodiments, the relative distance between the proximal multiray array and the distal node is adjustable.

Abstract: A deflectable surgical shaver tool comprises a blade with a rotatable cutting shaft comprising a distal cutting end and a proximal non-cutting end, a fixed outer sheath coaxially surrounding the rotatable cutting shaft, a cutting window at the distal cutting end, and at least a portion that is deflectable. The surgical shaver tool may further comprise an actuator; a handpiece; and a first wire and a second wire, each operatively coupled to the actuator at a proximal end and to the deflectable section at an opposite distal end. The first wire and the second wire are configured to control deflection of the deflectable portion when the actuator is manipulated. This configuration allows for the curvature of the blade to be changed for more efficient surgical procedures and prevents harm to the patient.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to a catheter having a dual node multiray electrode assembly at the distal end of the catheter body. The dual node multiray electrode assembly includes a proximal multiray array with a plurality of spines connected at one end, each spine having at least one ablation electrode, and a distal node. The dual node multiray electrode assembly may have an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration wherein the spines are arranged generally along a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The distal node may be configured to be deployed within a vessel and the proximal multiray array may be configured to engage tissue forming an ostium of the vessel with the ablation electrodes. In some embodiments, the relative distance between the proximal multiray array and the distal node is adjustable.

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: Apparatus, having an insertion tube that is configured to be inserted into a body cavity. The apparatus also includes a distal tip connected to the insertion tube, the distal tip having an external surface and a cavity formed in the external surface, the cavity being surrounded by a region of the external surface having a curvature. The apparatus further includes a microelectrode configured to fit into the cavity so that a surface of the microelectrode is contoured, located and oriented to conform with the curvature of the region.

Abstract: A method, consisting of ablating tissue for a time period, measuring a contact force applied during the time period, and measuring a power used during the time period. The method further includes ceasing ablating the tissue when a desired size of a lesion produced in the tissue, as estimated using an integral over the time period of a product of the contact force raised to a first non-unity exponent and the power raised to a second non-unity exponent, is reached.

Abstract: A jig for placing a screw to stabilize a femoral nail comprises a shell, a drill guide assembly movably mounted on the shell, and having a plurality of radiopaque markers affixed thereon, a magnetic field generator, and a plurality of magnetic location sensors responsive to magnetic fields produced by the magnetic field generator. A position processor is operative to compute positional information of the magnetic location sensors based on signals communicated thereto. The positional information is placed in registration with an anatomical image so that the drill guide assembly can be aligned with a transverse bore in the femoral nail.

Abstract: A method of atrial focal source detection is provided which includes detecting, via sensors, electro-cardiogram (ECG) signals over time. Each ECG signal is detected via one of the sensors and indicates electrical activity of a heart. The method also includes determining, for each ECG signal, local activation times (LATs) each indicating a time of one of a plurality of atrial activations of a corresponding ECG signal and detecting whether one or more focal source areas of activation in the heart is indicated based on the detected ECG signals and the one or more local LATs. S-waves can be distinguished from non-S-waves by generating models for each atrial activation and classifying atrial activations. Maps can be generated by visually indicating, for each sensor, a level of incidence of the atrial activations occurring before atrial activations of neighboring sensors within a period of time.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a multiplexer (MUX), a switching array and logic circuitry. The MUX includes multiple input ports and an output port, and is configured to receive, via the input ports, multiple input signals, and to output, via the output port, a selected signal among the input signals. The switching array is coupled to the input ports of the MUX and is configured to receive the input signals and to connect or disconnect between each input signal and a respective input port. The logic circuitry is electrically coupled to the switching array and to the MUX, and is configured to control the switching array to connect at least the selected signal that the MUX is outputting, and to disconnect all the input signals other than the at least selected signal.

Abstract: A catheter has a composite and segmented construction in a distal section that includes deflectable members and support member arranged in alternating sequence, with each support member carrying a ring electrode and the deflectable members being flexible to allow deflection of the distal section as a whole. Carried on an outer surface of the support member is a coil location sensor. The distal section is configured with a distal irrigation fluid path extending axially through the deflectable members and the support members to deliver irrigation fluid to the ring electrode and the tip electrode. A method of constructing a catheter includes building a section of the catheter from the inside out by mounting the support members on a tubing at predetermined locations and filling gaps in between with a more flexible material to form the deflectable members by extrusion segments or injection molding over assembled components internal to the catheter.