Abstract: A robotic catheter manipulator assembly may include a support member including a catheter manipulation base and a sheath manipulation base movable relative to each other and to the support member. Each respective manipulation base may be releasably connectable to a catheter cartridge and a sheath cartridge. A drive mechanism may be provided for moving the catheter and sheath manipulation bases relative to each other and to the support member. The manipulation base or the cartridge may include a first element engageable with a complementary second element slidably engaged with the other one of the manipulation base or the cartridge for controlling movement of a component connected to the cartridge. The cartridge, for example, may be a transseptal cartridge, a catheter cartridge or a sheath cartridge, and the component may respectively be a surgically insertable device such as a transseptal needle, a catheter or a sheath.

Abstract: A dynamic ultrasound image catheter includes a catheter body with an acoustic window on the distal end, an ultrasound phased array transducer assembly configured to rotate within the acoustic window through an angle of rotation, an acoustic coupling fluid filling a gap between the transducer array and the acoustic window, and a drive motor at the proximal end of the catheter body that is configured to rotate the transducer array. The drive motor may transmit a rotational force to the ultrasound phased array transducer by a drive wire or by tension wires coupled to drive spools. A system processor coupled to the drive motor controls rotation of the transducer array and estimates the angular orientation of the transducer array. By taking ultrasound images at increments through the angle of rotation, the dynamic ultrasound image catheter can obtain images spanning a volume which can be processed to generate three-dimensional composite images.

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.

Abstract: A robotic catheter rotatable device cartridge may include a housing member attachable to a drive mechanism for rotating the cartridge and a catheter attached to the cartridge along an axial direction of the catheter. A slider block may be generally slidable relative to the housing and engaged with one or more steering wires for controlling movement of the catheter in a transverse direction relative to the axial direction. The catheter may include the steering wire(s) engaged therewith and movable in the transverse direction when the slider block is linearly driven in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A tissue puncture assembly includes an elongate tubular member having a lumen, a distal portion having a side wall, a side port opening extending through the side wall and, and a guiding surface having a distal end that extends adjacent to a distal edge of the side port opening. The tissue puncture assembly further includes a flexible puncture member insertable through the lumen of the elongate tubular member. The flexible puncture member deflects upon contacting the guiding surface to exit the elongate tubular member through the side port in a lateral direction relative to a longitudinal direction of the elongate tubular member. The tissue puncture member is capable of puncturing tissue at an oblique angle. The tissue puncture member may further adopt a pre-formed shape at its distal end to prevent inadvertent puncture of tissue and to maintain access to the puncture site.

Abstract: A control system alters one or more characteristics of an ablating element to ablate tissue. In one aspect, the control system delivers energy nearer to the surface of the tissue by changing the frequency or power. In another aspect, the ablating element delivers focused ultrasound which is focused in at least one dimension. The ablating device may also have a number of ablating elements with different characteristics such as focal length.

Abstract: A compensation circuit has a predetermined, known complex impedance and is located in a handle of a catheter or in a distal end of a cable that connects to the catheter. The compensation circuit is probed with a pilot signal produced by a compensation control that is external to the catheter, by way of an electrical connection through the connecting cable. The compensation control measures the complex impedance, which is the combination of the circuit's known impedance as well as that of the cable. The compensation control then determines the difference between the measured and the known complex impedances. The difference represents that which is attributable to the cable, and is used to compensate or cancel out such cable-related contributions to complex impedance in measurements made over other electrical connections in the same cable.

Abstract: The invention relates to irrigated ablation catheter assemblies and methods of facilitating parallel irrigation fluid flow along irrigated assemblies. An irrigated catheter assembly according to an embodiment includes a catheter, an irrigated ablation electrode assembly, and a flow member. The catheter includes a catheter shaft having a fluid lumen. The irrigated ablation electrode assembly includes a proximal portion having at least one irrigation passageway and a distal portion. The proximal portion of the electrode assembly may include a proximal member and the distal portion of the electrode assembly may include a distal member which is connected to the proximal member. The proximal end of the flow member is coupled or connected to the catheter shaft and the distal end of the flow member is disposed about the proximal portion of the electrode assembly.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of manufacturing a flexible tubular body for catheter, sheath or similar medical device. The method comprises pre-extruding an inner layer of the body from a thermoplastic polymer and then pulling the inner layer over a mandrel and tightening the layer down. If wire lumens were not integrally formed in the inner layer when pre-extruded, then two polymer spaghetti tubes, each with wire lumens, are laid 180 degrees apart axially along the outer surface of the inner layer. Deflection wires are then fed into the wire lumens. A cylindrical wire braid is woven or pulled over the inner layer (and the spaghetti tubes, as the case may be) and tightened down. The aforementioned components are then encased in an outer polymer layer. A heat-shrinkable tube is then placed over the outer layer.

Abstract: A carrier for an ablation element is provided. The carrier includes a plurality of walls defining a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of an ablation element. A plurality of connection formations are disposed on an exterior surface of least one of the plurality of walls. Each of the plurality of connection formations is disposed at a different vertical position of the carrier. A device for epicardial ablation is also provided. The device includes a plurality of carriers disposed adjacent to each other. Each carrier includes a plurality of walls defining a receiving portion configured to receive at least a portion of an ablation element. A plurality of connection formations are disposed on an exterior surface of at least one of the plurality of walls of each carrier. Each of the plurality of connection formations is disposed at a different vertical position of a carrier.

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.

Abstract: A medical device comprising a cell including an ablation element and a carrier configured to receive at least a portion of said ablation element is disclosed. The medical device further comprises a tube enclosing the cell. At least a portion of the tube includes a membrane and the tube includes at least one hole proximate the ablation element for facilitating fluid flow. The medical device further comprises a fluid inlet for providing fluid to the interior of the tube. A method of using the medical device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and system of generating a surface model of an anatomic structure includes a catheter with which a plurality of location data points are collected from the surface of the anatomic structure. The method and system further includes a computer system that is configured to receive the collected data points from the catheter and to compute the alpha shape of collected data points to thereby generate a surface model of the anatomic structure. The computer system may be further configured to process the computed alpha shape to generate a simplicial surface model of the anatomic structure.

Abstract: A needle for a medical procedure includes a shaft with an inner surface, an outer surface, a proximal section, and a distal section. The distal section has a conductive tip configured to be a first electrode for voltage measurement. The needle further includes a first electrically insulative outer layer over a portion of the outer surface of the shaft. The conductive tip is adapted for insertion through tissue into, for example, a pericardial space of a patient. A system for determining the location of a needle during a medical procedure includes the needle and an anatomical mapping and localization system electrically coupled to the needle and adapted to measure voltage at the conductive tip.

Abstract: A catheter includes a handle that advantageously limits the amount of torque that can be imparted to the body of the catheter. This advantageously reduces the likelihood of catheter failure, damage to tissue, or damage to medical devices introduced into the vasculature via the catheter. The catheter handle includes a grip portion that the practitioner manipulates in order to impart a torque and a torque transmitting portion operably coupled thereto that transmits the torque to the catheter body. A torque limiting mechanism decouples the torque transmitting portion from the grip portion, the body, and/or any pull wires when the torque imparted to the grip portion exceeds a torque threshold, thereby preventing excessive torques from being transmitted to the catheter body and/or pull wires. A practitioner may be able to adjust the torque threshold and may be able to disable the torque limiting mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to bipolar ablation systems. A bipolar electrode system for ablation therapy is disclosed, including a pressure-sensitive conducting composite layer and a pair of electrodes in electrical conductive contact or communication with the pressure-sensitive conducting composite layer. Energy (e.g., ablation energy) is delivered via the pressure-sensitive conductive composition when sufficient pressure is applied to transform the pressure-sensitive conductive composite to an electrical conductor. An electrically insulative flexible layer, which may include a passageway for a fill material is also disclosed. In some embodiments, the systems can also be used for targeted delivery of compounds, such as drugs, using a bipolar electrode.

Abstract: A medical catheter includes a deflectable and compressible catheter shaft; a pull ring near a distal end of the catheter shaft; a distal tip that includes a tip element and a mounting shaft; and an attachment apparatus for securely attaching the distal tip to the catheter shaft, the attachment apparatus including a compression ring which compresses the catheter shaft and the mounting shaft together. The compression ring can be located around the catheter shaft to compress the catheter shaft against an outer surface of the mounting shaft, or within the catheter shaft to compress the catheter shaft outwardly against an inner surface of the mounting shaft. The medical catheter can be an ablation catheter, with the tip element being a tip electrode, and it can be an irrigated ablation catheter, with the distal tip including a fluid manifold.

Abstract: A system for presenting information representative of patient electrophysiological activity, such as complex fractionated electrogram information, includes at least one electrode to measure electrogram information from the heart surface, at least one processor coupled to the at least one electrode to receive the electrogram information and measure a location of the at least one electrode within the heart, and a presentation device to present the electrogram information as associated with the location at which it was measured on a model of the patient's heart. A memory may also be provided in which to store the associated electrogram information and measured location. Data may be analyzed using both time-domain and frequency-domain information to create a three-dimensional map. The map displays the data as colors, shades of color, and/or grayscales, and may further utilize contour lines, such as isochrones, to present the information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to ablation electrode assemblies. The present invention further relates to an insulated irrigated ablation electrode assembly. The insulated irrigated ablation electrode assembly of the present invention includes a proximal member, a distal member and an intermediate thermally insulating member. The proximal member includes a body portion defined by an outer surface, an inner cavity defined within the outer body portion, and at least one passageway that extends from the inner cavity to the outer surface of the body portion. The distal member of the electrode assembly includes a distal end. Moreover, the intermediate member of the electrode assembly is disposed between the proximal member and the distal member thereby thermally insulating the proximal member from the distal member.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a catheter that comprises an elongated catheter body (16) and an electrode assembly (10) at the distal end of the catheter body. The electrode assembly comprises a plurality of spines (11), each of the spines having a proximal end connected to the distal end of the catheter and a distal end, the distal ends of the spines being connected at a spine tip junction (13). Each spine includes an elbow (20) having at least one discontinuity in stiffness at an intermediate position between the distal end and the proximal end thereof. The spines include a plurality of electrodes (12). The electrode assembly is collapsible to a collapsed arrangement to fit within a lumen of the elongated catheter body and expandable to an expanded arrangement with the elbows of the spines bending outwardly relative to the proximal and distal ends of the spines.