Patents Assigned to The Board of Directors of the Leland Stanford, Jr. University
  • Patent number: 8439824
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods for locating morphological features within a body cavity using a catheter including proximal and distal ends, a transparent balloon carried on the distal end, and an optical imaging assembly carried on the distal end for imaging through the balloon. The balloon includes a channel extending therethrough to a lumen extending through the catheter. A guidewire or other localization member is received in the lumen that is extendable through the channel. During use, the catheter is inserted into a right atrium of a heart, and the balloon is expanded and placed against the wall of the heart to locate the coronary sinus. Sufficient force is applied to clear blood between the surface and the wall and clear the field of view of the imaging assembly. The catheter is manipulated to locate the coronary sinus, whereupon the localization member is advanced into the coronary sinus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: The Board of Directors of the Leland Stanford, Jr. University
    Inventors: Nicholas J. Mourlas, Christian Scott Eversull, Stephen Arie Leeflang, Asha Shrinivas Nayak, David John Miller