Abstract: A pulsed field ablation (PFA) system includes a composite electrode, a body-surface electrode, a PFA generator, and a processor. The composite electrode is coupled to a distal end of a catheter configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The body-surface electrode is configured to be attached to a skin of the patient. The PFA generator is configured to be electrically connected to the composite electrode of the catheter and to the body-surface electrode, and to generate Direct-Current (DC) PFA pulses. The processor is configured to control the PFA generator to apply the DC PFA pulses between the composite electrode and the body-surface electrode while the composite electrode is placed in contact with target tissue of the organ and the body-surface electrode is in contact with the skin of the patient.

Abstract: An electroporation ablation system includes a probe to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including a distal end including at least one electrode, body-surface patches to be applied to a skin surface, an ablation power generator to apply at least one first electrical pulse train between the electrode(s) and first one(s) of the body-surface patches, and a processor to provide a measurement of movement of the living subject responsively to applying the first electrical pulse train(s) between the electrode(s) and the first one(s) of the body-surface patches, and select second one(s) of the body-surface patches responsively to the measurement of movement, and wherein the ablation power generator is configured to apply at least one second electrical pulse train between the electrode(s) and the second one(s) of the body-surface patches.

Abstract: A method includes inserting an array of multiple electrodes, fitted at a distal end of a catheter, into a cavity in an organ of a patient. The array is brought into contact with an inner surface of the cavity. An input is received from a user, the input specifying one or more tissue segments to be ablated on the inner surface. In response to the input, using a processor, one or more pairs of the electrodes in the array are selected that, when driven with irreversible electroporation (IRE) signals, would ablate the specified tissue segments. The specified tissue segments are ablated by applying the IRE signals to the pairs of the electrodes.

Abstract: A catheter for mapping and ablation of epicardial tissue, including: a shaft configured for insertion into a body of a subject; a distal assembly configured at a distal end of the shaft, the distal assembly being expandable from a collapsed state to a deployed state; the distal assembly comprising at least two frame elements; each frame element comprising an arched distal portion on which a plurality of electrodes for delivery of ablation energy are disposed; wherein in the deployed state, the distal assembly assumes a concave profile for conforming to a curvature of the epicardium; and a plurality of position sensors disposed on one or both of the shaft and the frame elements for tracking a position and an orientation of at least a portion of the distal assembly or the shaft.

Abstract: A method of electrically connecting a wire to a connection pad of a flexible circuit strip using a joining tool, which method comprising: receiving the flexible circuit strip on a support surface, wherein the flexible circuit strip includes a plurality of electrodes, a plurality of connection pads and conductive traces connecting each of the plurality of electrodes to a connection pad of the plurality of connection pads; positioning a joining tool over a first connection pad of the flexible circuit strip; monitoring a first capacitance between said joining tool and a conductive layer positioned under the connection pads, wherein said conductive layer is sized, shaped, and positioned to extend over a footprint of said plurality of connection pads; controllably lowering said joining tool toward said first connection pad until the first capacitance reaches a first predefined capacitance threshold, wherein said first predefined capacitance threshold defines a first height of said joining tool with respect to said

Abstract: Apparatus, including a catheter configured to be inserted into an organ of a human body. A plurality of electrodes are deployed on the catheter, the electrodes being configured to transfer radiofrequency (RF) ablation energy to tissue of the organ. The apparatus also includes a power supply configured to supply the RF ablation energy at a level of up to 100 W to each of the plurality of electrodes simultaneously, so as to ablate respective sections of the tissue of the organ in contact with the electrodes.

Abstract: A system includes a medical probe and a processor. The medical probe includes a shaft for insertion into a cavity of an organ of a patient; an expandable assembly fitted at a distal end of the shaft, wherein the expandable assembly has elastic properties; a position sensing element mounted on the distal end of the shaft; and at least one distal position sensing element on a distal end of the expandable assembly. The processor senses relative location of each of the at least one distal position sensing element and the proximal position sensing element; determines deflection of the expandable assembly based on the relative location; relates the deflection to the contact force applied on the expandable assembly; and provides an indication of the contact force on a display.

Abstract: A method for estimating a thickness of cardiac tissue undergoing ablation includes the steps of (a) applying a sequence of ablation pulses to a region of the cardiac tissue, so as to create a lesion, and (b) for a given ablation pulse in the sequence, an incremental depth added to the lesion due to the given ablation pulse is estimated. A cumulative depth of the lesion is estimated based on the cumulative depth prior to the given pulse, and on the incremental depth. An amplitude of an electrogram signal at the region is assessed after applying the given ablation pulse, and, if the amplitude exceeds a predefined threshold, an estimate of the thickness is set to be at least the cumulative depth.

Abstract: A methods and systems are disclosed to determine positions of one or more distal end portions of a catheter. In embodiments, the method includes processing location signals that are transmitted by a transmitter-receiver utility having a first clock, and received by a position sensor at a catheter's distal-end portion. The processing may be performed by a signal processor having a second clock not synchronized with the first clock of the transmitter-receiver utility. The processing includes: determining a clock-rate-ratio between clock-rates of the first and second clocks; determining a time-lag between the first and second clocks; and determining the relative phases of the received signals while compensating for the clock-rate-ratio and for the time-lag between the clocks, such that determined phases are adjusted relative to the first signal clock of the transmitter receiver utility. Accordingly, the position of the catheter's distal-end portion can be determined based on the relative phases.

Abstract: Medical apparatus includes one or more magnetic field generators, which are configured to generate magnetic fields within a body of a patient. An invasive probe includes an insertion tube having a distal end, which is configured for insertion into the body, and a plurality of flexible splines configured to be deployed from the distal end of the insertion tube. Each spline includes a flexible, multilayer circuit board and a conductive trace that is formed in at least one layer of the circuit board and is configured to define one or more coils, which are disposed along a length of the spline and output electrical signals in response to the magnetic fields. A processor is coupled to receive and process the electrical signals output by the coils in order to derive respective positions of the flexible splines in the body.

Abstract: An irreversible electroporation and radio frequency ablation (IRE/RFA) generator includes an IRE pulse generator, harmonic filtration circuitry, and a waveform interleaver. The IRE pulse generator is configured to generate biphasic IRE pulses. The harmonic filtration circuitry is configured to convert the IRE pulses into an RF signal. The waveform interleaver, which is configured to receive the IRE pulses and the RF signal and generate an output signal having a composition of the adapted IRE pulses having a final shape and repetition rate, the converted RF sinusoidal signal, or a combined IRE/RFA output signal, by switching between the received IRE square pulses and the received converted RF sinusoidal signal.

Abstract: A catheter includes a shaft, an expandable frame, a first set of electrodes, and a second set of electrodes. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The expandable frame is fitted at a distal end of the shaft. The first set of electrodes is disposed over a distal portion of the expandable frame, and configured to be placed in contact with a tissue in the organ. The second set of electrodes is disposed on a proximal portion of the expandable frame, and configured to be inter-connected to form a common electrode.

Abstract: A method of delivering a combined irreversible electroporation and radio frequency (IRE/RFA) signal during ablation that includes receiving a selection of a ratio of IRE/RFA energy and a selection of an interleaved sequence of a combined IRE/RFA waveform. The interleaved sequence includes one or more adapted IRE square pulses formed by adapting generated biphasic IRE square pulses to IRE pulses having a final shape and repetition rate using a biphasic pulse shaper, and one of more RFA cycles formed from converting the generated biphasic IRE square pulses into a RF sinusoidal signal using a harmonic filter. The interleaved sequence is generated by interleaving, into a single waveform, the one or more adapted IRE square pulses with one or more cycles of the converted RF sinusoidal signal. The combined IRE/RFA output signal is outputted to a catheter electrode inside a patient's heart for application to a target tissue location.

Abstract: An anti-vacuum surge (AVS) cartridge includes a solenoid valve with a magnetic plunger having parallel flattened surfaces, in a valve cavity of a rectangular or other similar cross section. The flattened surfaces of the plunger are oppositely disposed from each other and are in line with the flow path through the aspiration channel of the AVS cartridge.

Abstract: A method, including performing an ablation of tissue using a first high RF power for a short duration, suspending RF power for a predetermined period, and using a second high RF power for a short duration forming lesions with greater surface area and greater depth through resistive heating and thermal latency. High RF power may range between 75-95 W and short duration may range between 4-5 seconds.

Abstract: A safety circuit, in the form of a switch box, for coupling with a catheter, detects DC leakage or emission from an amplifier circuit of the catheter, and switches a switch to immediately terminates (cuts-off) power to the amplifier circuit. This immediate power termination instantaneously stops DC leakage, which if left unchecked or otherwise undetected, may reach the heart, and disrupt its electrical activity and cause other damage.

Abstract: A method that includes selectively positioning an ablation catheter system at a treatment site comprising cardiac tissue, ablating cardiac tissue at the treatment site with the ablation catheter system using a power setting of approximately 90 W applied to tissue for approximately four (4) seconds to achieve a target electrode temperature, and achieving approximately zero incidence of steam pop occurrence in both left and right atrial ablations and complete pulmonary vein isolation, by the ablation catheter system, for all patients of a predetermined patient population suffering from paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product, the method comprising receiving input from a force sensor on a catheter, the catheter comprising electrodes for ablating a heart of a patient, the catheter placed at a location within the heart; based at least on the received input, calculating a predicted PFA ablation index (PFA AI) of an ablation that would be caused by applying by the catheter force equal to the assessment at the location for a predetermined number of electrical pulses having predetermined magnitude and predetermined duration, wherein said calculation is in accordance with a predefined formula; and displaying the predicted PFA AI to a user of the catheter.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are novel systems and methods for synchronized streaming of electrocardiogram (ECG) signals to a display. An aspect to the invention provides for synchronizing between first and second pluralities of digitized ECG signals that are sampled from a plurality of medical devices by first and second non-synchronized utilities. One of the pluralities of analog ECG signals, preferably a far-field ECG, is selected for reference and sampled by both the non-synchronized utilities thereby yielding respective first and second digitized reference ECG signals. The reference ECG signals are compared and the results of the comparison is used for synchronizing between the first and second pluralities of digitized ECG signals. Accordingly, the techniques of the invention facilitate concurrent synchronized streaming to a display, of a plurality of digitized ECG signals from a plurality of non-synchronized medical devices. Additional aspects and features of the invention are further disclosed herein.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus configured to perform the method, the method including selecting a first maximum radiofrequency (RF) power for a first ablation mode within a range of 70 W to 100 W and selecting a second maximum RF power for a second ablation mode within a range of 20 W to 60 W. The method also includes selecting a maximum allowable temperature, of tissue to be ablated in the first ablation mode, within a range of 55° C.-65° C., and selecting irrigation rates for providing irrigation fluid to the electrode in the first ablation mode and the second ablation mode within a range of 8-45 ml/min. In some embodiments, the first maximum RF power is 90 W applied for 4 seconds with a maximum temperature of 60° C.