Patents Assigned to St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division
  • Accelerometer-based contact sensing assembly and system
    Patent number: 10335574
    Abstract: A catheter system including an accelerometer-based sensing assembly is provided. In particular the present teachings relate to an accelerometer based assembly used to determine contact between a catheter and surrounding proximate tissue, such as cardiac tissue. An embodiment of such a system may, for example, be used for visualization, mapping, ablation, or other methods of diagnosis and treatment of tissue and/or surrounding areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Troy T. Tegg, Saurav Paul
  • Ablation catheter electrode having multiple thermal sensors and method of use
    Patent number: 10327843
    Abstract: The invention relates to electrodes used in ablation catheter devices, where the electrodes contain two or more thermal sensors at different positions within the electrode that are capable of detecting temperature differences along the external surface of the electrode. In preferred embodiments, the thermal sensors are separated by one or more thermal insulating members and the thermal sensors are positioned near the external surface of the electrode at about the same distance from the end of the electrode, so that temperature measurements can indicate the position of the electrode with respect to the tissue desired to be ablated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Huisun Wang, Hong Cao, Jeremy D. Dando
  • Anatomical thermal sensing device and method
    Patent number: 10314641
    Abstract: A medical device utilizing temperature sensing to identify or assess anatomical bodies or structures includes an elongate tubular member, at least one electrode, a thermal sensor, and a temperature response assessment system or component. The at least one electrode may be connected to the distal portion of the elongate tubular member, and the one or more electrode can be configured to provide energy or heat to a portion of an anatomical body or structure. The thermal sensor may be configured to measure the thermal response of the portion of an anatomical body or structure, e.g., tissue or blood pools. The temperature response assessment system or component can be coupled to the thermal sensor. In embodiments, the device may include a lumen and port opening, which may accommodate a tool, such as a needle. Methods for using temperature sensing to identify an anatomical body or structure are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Saurav Paul, Todd R. Stangenes, Riki Thao
  • Circuit for a catheter or sheath and method of forming same
    Patent number: 10285753
    Abstract: A circuit configured for connecting an electrode to a catheter or sheath is disclosed. The circuit includes a member having a longitudinal axis and configured to extend along at least a portion of the length of the catheter or sheath. The circuit further includes a trace printed on the member, where the trace includes at least a longitudinal segment extending generally along at least a portion of the longitudinal axis and a transverse segment extending generally transverse to the longitudinal axis. In an embodiment, the circuit further includes a pad integral with and extending from the circuit proximal the transverse segment of the trace. A catheter or sheath assembly comprising the circuit and an electrode connected to the circuit is also disclosed. A method of forming a catheter or sheath assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventors: James V. Kauphusman, Allan M. Fuentes, Troy T. Tegg, Dale E. Just
  • Bendable catheter arms having varied flexibility
    Patent number: 10285756
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a catheter comprising an expandable electrode assembly or basket is provided. In specific embodiments, the basket is particularly useful for mapping electrical activity at one or more locations within the heart. The basket can comprise a plurality of bendable or deflectable arms. At least one of the arms may have varied flexibility over its length in the form of one or more discontinuities of stiffness or flexibility at an elbow region or other variances in flexibility over the arm's length. Such variance in flexibility may allow the arm to assume a different bent configuration or respond to external factors more positively than possible with an arm having a static or near static flexibility or stiffness over its length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Sacha C. Hall, Dale E. Just, Alan de la Rama, Cary Hata
  • Medical device guidewire with helical cutout and coating
    Patent number: 10271793
    Abstract: A guidewire for a medical device is disclosed. The guidewire includes an elongate body, a proximal connector assembly, a corewire, and a sensor assembly. The body has an annular wall that defines an interior lumen. The proximal connector assembly is coupled to the body and is configured for connection to a medical positioning system. The corewire extends through the lumen. The sensor assembly located on a distal end of the corewire is electrically connected to the proximal connector assembly. The sensor assembly is configured to generate an electrical signal indicative of a position of the sensor assembly in a reference coordinate system defined by the medical positioning system. The body includes a helical cutout extending over a predetermined length of the body. The helical cutout is configured to increase the flexibility of the body over the predetermined length of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Guy P. Vanney, Pär Gustafsson
  • Robotic surgical system and method for automated creation of ablation lesions
    Patent number: 10258285
    Abstract: A system for ablating tissue includes an ablation catheter for insertion into the body of a patient and a robotic controller for moving the catheter within the body. The robotic controller advances the catheter until the catheter contacts the tissue surface, maintains contact between the catheter and the tissue surface, and moves the catheter along a predetermined path to create a substantially continuous lesion of ablated tissue. A display device may be used to present a graphical representation of an area of tissue to be ablated. A user interface permits selection of a plurality of treatment points on the graphical representation. The interface is preferably coupled to the controller and catheter such that the controller may cause the catheter to automatically ablate tissue at and between the plurality of treatment points in response to the received user input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: John A. Hauck, Jeffrey A. Schweitzer, Kedar Ravindra Belhe, Jeffrey L. Burrell
  • Hydrophobic catheter and composition
    Patent number: 10238776
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a surgical catheter is provided. The catheter may comprise one or more hydrophobic barrier layers made from an ethylene-pertfluoroethylenepropylene (“EFEP”) copolymer. Additionally, the catheter may comprise another polymer layer made from a reactive polar polymer. In at least one embodiment, the reactive polar polymer may be a modified-poly(ether block amide) (“PEBA”) copolymer, such as an amine-terminated PEBA. Moreover, in various embodiments, a composition is provided that may comprise a reactive polar polymer bonded to an EFEP copolymer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Xiaoping Guo, James V. Kauphusman, David P. Johnson, Karen L. Armstrong
  • Non-contact mapping system and method
    Patent number: 10231637
    Abstract: In a system and method for non-contact mapping of an anatomic structure, the spatial position of an electrode is determined independent of a previously generated three-dimensional model of the anatomic structure. A position of the electrode relative to a boundary surface of the model is determined, along with a corresponding point on the boundary surface of the three-dimensional model that is closest to the relative electrode position. A signed distance (d) of the relative electrode position from the corresponding closest point on the boundary surface is determined, wherein a positive signed distance indicates the relative electrode position is exterior to the model. In such an instance, the boundary surface is perturbed (e.g., expanded outward) at least in part as a function of the signed distance (d) until the relative electrode position lies interior to the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric J. Voth, Jiang Qian
  • Robotic catheter system
    Patent number: 10231788
    Abstract: A robotic system for manipulating a catheter with a plurality of steering wires longitudinally situated within a length of the catheter includes a user interface configured to display a view of an anatomical model and to receive one or more user inputs; a catheter manipulator assembly configured to linearly actuate one or more control members of a catheter; and a robotic controller configured to provide a view of an anatomical model to the user interface; accept one or more user inputs from the user interface; register the one or more user inputs to a coordinate system associated with the anatomical model; compute one or more actuator commands from the one or more registered inputs; and cause the catheter manipulator assembly to linearly actuate one or more control members of a catheter in accordance with the computed actuator commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Olson, John A. Hauck, Nicholas A. Patronik, Mark B. Kirschenman, Cem M. Shaquer, Yusof Ganji
  • Catheter electrode assemblies and methods of construction thereof
    Patent number: 10219861
    Abstract: A family of catheter electrode assemblies includes a flexible circuit having a plurality of electrical traces and a substrate; a ring electrode surrounding the flexible circuit and electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of electrical traces; and an outer covering extending over at least a portion of the electrode. A non-contact electrode mapping catheter includes an outer tubing having a longitudinal axis, a deployment member, and a plurality of splines, at least one of the plurality of splines comprising a flexible circuit including a plurality of electrical traces and a substrate, a ring electrode surrounding the flexible circuit and electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of electrical traces; and an outer covering extending over at least a portion of the ring electrode. A method of constructing the family of catheter electrode assemblies is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Dale E. Just, Troy T. Tegg, Theodore A. Johnson, Sacha C. Hall
  • Intracardiac imaging system utilizing a multipurpose catheter
    Patent number: 10206652
    Abstract: A three dimensional physiological mapping system utilizing an intracardiac echo catheter capable of being located in six degrees of freedom by a visualization, navigation, or mapping system. An echocardiography image of the intracardiac echo catheter may be projected within a geometric model of the visualization, navigation, or mapping system where the location of the projected image is adjusted in response to user input identifying a structure present in the echocardiography image and the geometric model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: D. Curtis Deno, Anthony D. Hill, Hua Zhong
  • Graphical user interface for real-time RF lesion depth display
    Patent number: 10201388
    Abstract: A system for displaying characteristics of target tissue during an ablation procedure is provided that includes an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to receive data regarding electrical properties of the target tissue for a time period. The ECU is also configured to determine a value responsive to the data and indicative of at least one of a predicted depth of a lesion in the target tissue, a predicted temperature of the target tissue, and a likelihood of steam pop of the target tissue for the time period. The system further includes a display device operatively connected to the ECU. The display device is configured to receive the value and display a visual representation indicative of at least one of a predicted depth of a lesion in the target tissue, a predicted temperature of the target tissue, and a likelihood of steam pop of the target tissue for the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Fish, Israel A. Byrd, Jeremy D. Dando
  • Systems and methods for visualizing and analyzing cardiac arrhythmias using 2-D planar projection and partially unfolded surface mapping processes
    Patent number: 10198876
    Abstract: A method for projecting a 3D surface geometry onto a planar projection comprises: obtaining a 3D geometry of a chamber surface using an algorithm that generates angles and distances between points on the chamber surface that represent mapping information; applying a cutting curve to at least two points on the chamber surface; and at least partially unfolding at least a portion of the chamber surface along the cutting curve to form a planar projection that optimally preserves the angles and distances between points on the chamber surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev A. Koyrakh, Eric J. Voth
  • Automatic monitoring for and detection of tissue pop
    Patent number: 10194885
    Abstract: A system that automatically detects a myocardial barotrauma (i.e., tissue pop) event so that proper post-procedure care can be given includes an electronic control unit (ECU), a computer-readable memory coupled with the ECU, and detection logic stored in the memory configured to be executed by the ECU. The detection logic is configured to receive a signal generated by an electro-acoustic transducer related to acoustic activity within the patient, monitor the signal for a pre-determined indication of a barotrauma event, and output a notification when the pre-determined indication is detected. The transducer can be integrated with an extra-body patch that includes one or more electrodes for use with a medical device navigation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Israel A. Byrd, Jeffrey M. Fish, Lynn E. Clark, Saurav Paul
  • Ablation catheter with flexible electrode
    Patent number: 10188459
    Abstract: A flexible tip electrode for an ablation catheter is disclosed. The catheter includes a catheter body and a hollow elongate tip electrode disposed at a distal end of the catheter body. The electrode includes a sidewall provided with one or more elongate gaps extending therethrough. The one or more elongate gaps providing flexibility in the sidewall for bending movement of the tip electrode relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Carlo Pappone, Alan de la Rama, Peter C. Chen, Cary Hata, Jared A. Shimizu
  • Assessment of electrode coupling for tissue ablation
    Patent number: 10182860
    Abstract: An electrode catheter and a method for assessing electrode-tissue contact and coupling are disclosed. An exemplary electrode catheter comprises an electrode adapted to apply electrical energy. A measurement circuit is adapted to measure impedance between the electrode and ground as the electrode approaches a target tissue. A processor determines a contact and coupling condition for the target tissue based at least in part on reactance of the impedance measured by the measurement circuit. In another exemplary embodiment, the electrode catheter determines the contact and coupling condition based at least in part on a phase angle of the impedance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Saurav Paul, Hong Cao, Kedar R. Belhe, Riki Thao
  • Five degree of freedom ultrasound catheter and catheter control handle
    Patent number: 10183149
    Abstract: Catheter ultrasound systems including a sheath, a handle, a sheath lumen, and an ultrasound catheter disposed within the lumen of the sheath with ultrasound elements capable of visualizing anatomical regions. The handle allowing the ultrasound catheter to rotate with respect to the sheath using a rotation adjustment knob within the handle or alternatively an separate manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the ultrasound catheter. The sheath, ultrasound catheter, or both may also include one or more electrodes or other location sensor for both orienting the ultrasound element as well as for diagnostic purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventors: Troy Terrance Tegg, Andrew Senn, James V. Kauphusman, Michael C. Bednarek
  • Electrode support structure assemblies
    Patent number: 10182762
    Abstract: An electrode support structure assembly is provided comprising an electrode support structure including a plurality of splines. Each of the plurality of splines can have a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The assembly further comprises a first element defining an axis and comprising an outer surface. The outer surface comprises a plurality of slots configured to receive the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines. The first element is configured such that the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines may move with respect to each slot. In accordance with some embodiments, the distal end portion of each of the plurality of splines comprises a section configured for engagement with the first element, wherein the section comprises a shoulder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Just, Troy T. Tegg, Theodore A. Johnson
  • Irrigated ablation catheter having a flexible manifold
    Patent number: 10182864
    Abstract: An irrigated ablation catheter includes a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and an irrigation lumen therein. The catheter further includes an electrode assembly coupled to the distal end of the shaft. The electrode assembly includes an ablation electrode and a manifold. The manifold is coupled to each of the distal end of the shaft and the proximal end of the electrode. At least a portion of the manifold is constructed of a flexible material to allow the electrode assembly to deflect. The manifold includes a body, an inner cavity within the body configured for fluid communication with the irrigation lumen, and an irrigation port also within the body and configured for fluid communication with the inner cavity. The irrigation port extends from the inner cavity to the outer surface of the body, and is configured to allow for an irrigating fluid to be distributed from the manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
    Inventor: Huisun Wang