Abstract: Methods are provided for automatically actuating and positioning a first medical device in a subject anatomy with a remote medical navigation system together with a localized second medical device that passes through the first device and is also actuated by the remote navigation system to access a desired target location. After an initial calibration step, an exemplary method comprises: (a) determining configurational variables for the first medical device based on a computational model of device deformation and a set of geometrical constraints, and (b) automatically steering the first medical device with the remote navigation system to the computationally determined configuration.

Abstract: A system for operating a catheter having a distal end adapted to be navigated in the body, and a proximal end having a handle with a translatable control and a rotatable control for acting on the distal end of the device includes a support for receiving and engaging the handle of the catheter; a translation mechanism for advancing and retracting the support to advance and retract a catheter whose handle is received in the support; a rotation mechanism for rotating the support to rotate a catheter whose handle is received in the support; a translation operator for engaging the translatable control of a catheter whose handle is received in the support and operating the translatable control to act on the distal end of the device; and a rotation operator for engaging the rotatable control of a catheter whose handle is received in the support and operating the rotatable control to act on the distal end of the device.

Abstract: A method of operating a remote medical navigation system using ultrasound, employs ultrasound imaging from a medical device to supplement or to replace conventional x-ray imaging of the operating region during navigation.

Abstract: A system and method of locally displaying multiple items of medical information from at least one remote medical system having an output display. The method includes assembling the multiple items of medical information from the output display of at least one remote medical systems into a composite display having regions corresponding to the multiple items of medical information. Video data for the composite display is communicated over a network to a local display. Video data corresponding to the regions of the display are treated differently to provide a composite display with regions of different image quality.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for interventional navigation within a subject's body is provided in which a medical device having at least one electrostrictive element is adapted to cause the distal end of the medical device to bend in a given direction for improving navigation. The medical device may further comprise at least one magnetically responsive element on the distal end, which may be oriented in the approximate direction of a magnetic field that is applied to the subject's body. At least one method for navigating a medical device though a subject's body is provided, by changing the direction of an applied magnetic field to align a magnetically responsive element on the distal end for orienting the distal end, and by applying a voltage to at least one electrostrictive element disposed in the distal portion of the device for causing the distal end to change orientation from that achieved by application of the magnetic field alone.

Abstract: A display for operating a plurality of separate computer systems, each having a visual display. The display includes comprising a composite display, a video system for receiving display input from each of the plurality of separate computer systems and displaying it on the composite display, a processor which controls the content of the composite display based upon a planned procedure workflow.

Abstract: A work flow driven method of performing multi-step medical procedures includes displaying the visual displays from separate computer controlled systems on a composite display, and displaying prompts for a plurality of steps of the multi-step medical procedure, and in response to user selection from the prompts, automatically reconfiguring the composite display based in part on the selection. Alternatively the display can be changed in response to user actions other than selection. In other embodiments, the composite display can change automatically to match a planned work flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a means for guiding a medical device within the body to approach a target destination. The system and method provide a means for determining a predicted length and orientation, navigating the device to an intermediate point less than the predicted length, determining an error between the projected destination and actual target destination, and successively updating a predicted value of a control variable to yield an orientation within a predetermined distance error before advancing the device the remaining distance to the destination. This provides a physician with the capability of verifying the device will be accurately guided to the target destination without trial and error. A method is also provided for intuitive navigation to targets with limited trial and error based on user-applied device orientation adjustments, where the user chooses the magnitude of the adjustments and the system determines the adjustment direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for interventional navigation within a subject's body is provided in which a medical device having at least one electrostrictive element is adapted to cause the distal end of the medical device to bend in a given direction for improving navigation. The medical device may further comprise at least one magnetically responsive element on the distal end, which may be oriented in the approximate direction of a magnetic field that is applied to the subject's body. At least one method for navigating a medical device though a subject's body is provided, by changing the direction of an applied magnetic field to align a magnetically responsive element on the distal end for orienting the distal end, and by applying a voltage to at least one electrostrictive element disposed in the distal portion of the device for causing the distal end to change orientation from that achieved by application of the magnetic field alone.

Abstract: A balloon catheter comprising an elongate tube having a proximal end and a distal end, and a lumen therebetween, and a balloon at the distal end of the tube, in fluid communication with the lumen. A magnetically responsive element at the distal end of the device sized and shaped to orient the distal end of the device in an operating region in a subject upon the application of a magnetic field from an external source magnet.

Abstract: A method is provided for establishing contact of a medical device against a three-dimensional surface geometry within a subject body, the method comprising obtaining a three-dimensional tissue surface geometry of an anatomical region within the subject body, obtaining a target location on the surface for the device to contact, determining local surface geometry information in a neighborhood of the target location, and using this information to determine a change of at least one control variable for effecting an over-torque of the medical device to enhance contact of the device with the target surface.

Abstract: A guide wire for magnetically navigating a medical device through in a subject's body comprising an elongate wire having a proximal and distal end, a portion adjacent the distal end that is more flexible than the more proximal portions of the elongate wire, and a first magnetically responsive element on the distal end of the elongate wire. The guide wire further comprises one or more magnetically responsive elements spaced apart from the first magnetically responsive element and disposed on the more flexible portion of the elongate wire. The guide wire provides for bending or deflecting the distal end of the stent, to provide easier navigation of the distal end of the guide wire and the stent through the vasculature of a subject body.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for planning the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias by RF ablation with a remote navigation system, including the identification of ablation lines around the pulmonary veins ostia—atrial junctions based on impedance measurements. When used by itself or in conjunction with electro-anatomical approaches, the impedance method therein disclosed enables safe and effective arrhythmia treatment.

Abstract: A method of operating a plurality of computer systems includes translating inputs generated by the operation of an input device associated with a first computer into control signals for operating at least one other computer system to operate the at least one other computer system in a corresponding manner.

Abstract: A method of performing a multi-step medical procedure requiring the operation of a plurality of separate computer systems, each accepting inputs and providing a visual display, the method including displaying the displays from the separate computer controlled systems on a composite display; and based in part from information from one of the separate computer systems, automatically selecting the next step from a plurality of possible next steps, and displaying a prompt for the automatically selected next step, and automatically reconfiguring the composite display for the automatically selected next step.

Abstract: This invention describes an energy delivery apparatus for delivering electrical energy at a target location, said energy delivery apparatus being usable in combination with a magnetic field and comprising an electrical conductor having a substantially elongated configuration; an electrode for delivering electrical energy at the target location, with the electrode being electrically coupled to the electrical conductor and having an exposed surface with at least a portion of the exposed surface having one of its principal radii of curvature smaller than 0.35 mm; an insulating dielectric coating along a substantial portion of the length of the electrical conductor, with the dielectric coating having a dielectric constant smaller than about 3; at least one guiding element mounted to the electrical conductor, with at least one of the guiding elements including a magnetically responsive material.

Abstract: A method of navigating a medical device in an operating region in a subject. The method includes applying a magnetic field to the operating region and changing the magnetic moment of the medical device by selectively changing a physical condition of at least one magnet element in the medical device to change the orientation of the device with respect to the applied magnetic field.

Abstract: A method is provided for establishing contact of a medical device against a tissue surface within a subject body, the method comprising determination of the geometrical configuration of the distal portion of the medical device, and using this together with known control variable information to determine and control the contact force of the distal tip of the medical device against the tissue surface.

Abstract: A method of turning a medical device with the assistance of an externally applied magnetic field, in a direction with a component in a plane perpendicular to the direction of the externally applied magnetic field. The method includes applying first torque to the distal end of the medical device by creating magnetic moment at the distal end of the medical device, and applying a second torque to the distal end of the medical device. The second torque may be created by creating a second magnetic moment at the distal end of the device spaced from the first, by using an electrostrictive device, by using a stylette inserted into the device, by using a fluid-driven shaped tube, or otherwise.

Abstract: A method of finding the location of an occluded portion of a blood vessel relative to a three-dimensional angiographic image of a subject's vasculature includes identifying the location of the occluded portion of the blood vessel on each of a series of displayed two dimensional images derived from the three dimensional image data in planes substantially transverse to direction of the occluded portion of the vessel. The identified locations in the occluded portion of the vessel can then be used to determine the path of the occluded portion of the vessel.