Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter assembly having a catheter with a catheter body and an end effector connected with a distal end of the catheter. The catheter assembly optionally includes an outer sheath or introducer tool. The end effector includes a spine assembly having a plurality of spines. An electrode is associated with each spine of the spine assembly. The electrodes are longitudinally staggered along their respective spines. The spines extend outward from a longitudinal axis of the catheter body such that the spine define a circular arrangement. This arrangement with the longitudinally spaced electrodes defines a helical array such that an elongated circumferential ablation pattern is achieved.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a flexible catheter shaft, one or more electrodes, and one or more position sensors, at least one of the one or more position sensors being positioned on the distal portion of the catheter shaft, the one or more position sensors being configured to provide a signal indicating respective positions of the one or more position sensors in three-dimensional space in response to a magnetic field. The flexible catheter shaft includes a lumen in fluid communication with an open distal end of the shaft. The lumen is configured to receive a guidewire and to communicate a therapeutic fluid out through the open distal end. The shaft has an outer diameter ranging from approximately 0.67 mm to approximately 1.33 mm. At least one of the one or more electrodes is operable to apply electrical energy to tissue.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an elongate shaft assembly and a processor. The elongate shaft assembly includes a distal portion having an end effector and a tip member. The end effector has a flex circuit with a plurality of electrodes extending angularly about the distal portion of the shaft assembly and spaced longitudinally apart from each other along the distal portion of the shaft assembly. The tip member is positioned distal to the end effector and is more flexible than the distal portion of the shaft assembly. The processor is electrically coupled with the flex circuit and is configured to select one or more electrodes of the plurality of electrodes to activate. The processor is further configured to activate the one or more selected electrodes to apply electrical energy to tissue to thereby ablate the tissue.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an elongate shaft assembly, an end effector, and a flexible circuit. The end effector includes one or more electrodes. The flexible circuit includes a flexible substrate and a trace. The flexible substrate includes a proximal portion, an intermediate portion, and a distal portion. The proximal portion of the flexible substrate is positioned proximal to the end effector. The intermediate portion extends along the distal portion of the shaft assembly and is positioned proximal to the end effector. The trace extends along at least the intermediate portion of the flexible substrate. A portion of the trace defines a position sensor that is configured to generate a signal in the presence of an alternating magnetic field and is configured to flex with the distal portion of the shaft assembly. The position sensor length is at least approximately 10 times greater than the outer diameter of the shaft assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter assembly and an end effector. The catheter assembly includes an outer sheath with a distal end. The end effector is associated with a distal end of the catheter assembly. The end effector includes a panel assembly with microelectrodes for electrophysiological (EP) mapping. The microelectrodes are configured in a matrix within the panel assembly and provide multiple points of contact with the target tissue for EP mapping. The panel assembly can transition between a first contracted state and a second expanded state. The panel assembly can fit within the outer sheath in the first state. The panel assembly can expand outwardly away from a longitudinal axis defined by the catheter assembly in the second state once exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter assembly and an end effector. The catheter assembly includes an outer sheath with a distal end. The end effector is associated with a distal end of the catheter assembly. The end effector includes a panel assembly with microelectrodes for electrophysiological (EP) mapping. The microelectrodes are configured in a matrix within the panel assembly and provide multiple points of contact with the target tissue for EP mapping. The panel assembly can transition between a first contracted state and a second expanded state. The panel assembly can fit within the outer sheath in the first state. The panel assembly can expand outwardly away from a longitudinal axis defined by the catheter assembly in the second state once exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath.

Abstract: A transseptal puncture system and method uses a guiding instrument, and an atraumatic puncture instrument longitudinally movable therein, with a first electrode configured for ablation and a second electrode electrically insulated from the first electrode. An impedance monitoring module is configured to measure at least an impedance at the second electrode, and an electrical generator is configured to selectively apply electrical energy to the first electrode based at least in part on the measured impedance at the second electrode. Moreover, impedance measurements at the first and second electrodes are used to determine relative positions of the instruments in the approach, contact, ablation and puncture of the septum.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft, and at least one tip member. The shaft extends distally from the body assembly and includes a distal end. The at least one tip member is secured at the distal end of the shaft. The at least one tip member and the distal end of the shaft are sized and configured to fit within a chamber of a heart of a human subject. The at least one tip member includes an atraumatic distal tip and an exterior dilation surface adjacent to the atraumatic distal tip. The atraumatic hollow distal tip may present an angled profile to minimize risk of coring tissue and is configured to deliver electrical energy to tissue for forming an opening through the tissue. The exterior dilation surface is configured to enlarge the opening formed by the atraumatic distal tip.

Abstract: A transeptal apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft assembly, and a tip member. The shaft assembly extends distally from the body assembly and includes a distal end and a lumen. The tip member is secured at the distal end of the shaft. The tip member and the distal end of the shaft are sized and configured to fit within a chamber of a heart of a human subject. The tip member includes a distal tip and at least one fluid passageway. The distal tip is configured to deliver electrical energy to tissue. The at least one fluid passageway is in fluid communication with the lumen of the shaft. At least a portion of the fluid passageway of the tip member is positioned proximally in relation to the distal end of the shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a body and a shaft assembly extending distally from the body. The shaft assembly includes a proximal portion defining a longitudinal axis, a steerable portion distal to the proximal portion, and a distal portion distal to the steerable portion. The steerable portion is operable to drive the distal portion laterally away from and toward the longitudinal axis. The shaft assembly further includes at least one flex circuit assembly. The at least one flex circuit assembly includes a first navigation sensor configured to measure impedance signals that indicate a real-time position of the steerable portion. The at least one flex circuit assembly further includes a second navigation sensor configured to measure magnetic signals that indicate a real-time position of the steerable portion.

Abstract: A catheter has improved position and/or location sensing by using single axis sensors mounted directly along a portion of the catheter whose position/location is of interest. The magnetic based, single axis sensors are provided on a single axis sensor assembly, which can be linear or nonlinear. The catheter may include a catheter body on which at least one, if not at least three single axis sensors, are mounted serially along a length of the body. In one embodiment, the magnetic-based sensor assembly includes at least one coil member wrapped on the catheter body, wherein the coil member is connected to a respective cable member adapted to transmit a signal providing location information from the coil member to a mapping and localization system.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter assembly and an end effector. The catheter assembly includes an outer sheath with a distal end. The end effector is associated with a distal end of the catheter assembly. The end effector includes a panel assembly with microelectrodes for electrophysiological (EP) mapping. The microelectrodes are configured in a matrix within the panel assembly and provide multiple points of contact with the target tissue for EP mapping. The panel assembly can transition between a first contracted state and a second expanded state. The panel assembly can fit within the outer sheath in the first state. The panel assembly can expand outwardly away from a longitudinal axis defined by the catheter assembly in the second state once exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter assembly having a catheter with a catheter body and an end effector connected with a distal end of the catheter. The catheter assembly optionally includes an outer sheath or introducer tool. The end effector includes a spine assembly having a plurality of spines. An electrode is associated with each spine of the spine assembly. The electrodes are longitudinally staggered along their respective spines. The spines extend outward from a longitudinal axis of the catheter body such that the spine define a circular arrangement. This arrangement with the longitudinally spaced electrodes defines a helical array such that an elongated circumferential ablation pattern is achieved.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with improved position and/or location sensing with the use of single axis sensors that are mounted directly along a length or portion of the catheter whose position/location is of interest. The magnetic based, single axis sensors are provided on a single axis sensor (SAS) assembly, which can be linear or nonlinear as needed. A catheter of the present invention thus includes a catheter body and a distal member of a particular 2D or 3D configuration that is provided by a support member on which at least one, if not at least three single axis sensors, are mounted serially along a length of the support member. In one embodiment, the magnetic-based sensor assembly including at least one coil member that is wrapped on the support member, wherein the coil member is connected via a joint region to a respective cable member adapted to transmit a signal providing location information from the coil member to a mapping and localization system.

Abstract: An ablation system observes and monitors ablation parameters, including temperature, impedance, and/or the system's own closed-loop response to these ablation parameters. The system comprises a catheter with electrodes and a detection circuitry configured to detect an ablation parameter for each electrode, a controller coupled to the catheter, the controller having a processing unit and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to: receive a detected ablation parameter for each electrode from the detection circuitry, determine when a detected ablation parameter violates a defined ablation parameter for each electrode, control a power supplied to each violating electrode to have a reduced power, detect a rate of power reduction for each violating electrode, and stop the power supplied to each violating electrode when a respective detected rate of power reduction exceeds a threshold rate of power reduction.

Abstract: A catheter is provided with improved position and/or location sensing with the use of single axis sensors that are mounted directly along a length or portion of the catheter whose position/location is of interest. The magnetic based, single axis sensors are provided on a single axis sensor (SAS) assembly, which can be linear or nonlinear as needed. A catheter of the present invention thus includes a catheter body and a distal member of a particular 2D or 3D configuration that is provided by a support member on which at least one, if not at least three single axis sensors, are mounted serially along a length of the support member. In one embodiment, the magnetic-based sensor assembly including at least one coil member that is wrapped on the support member, wherein the coil member is connected via a joint region to a respective cable member adapted to transmit a signal providing location information from the coil member to a mapping and localization system.

Abstract: An ablation system observes and monitors ablation parameters, including temperature, impedance, and/or the system's own closed-loop response to these ablation parameters in delivery of power to one or more ablation electrodes, including cessation of power delivery to one or more electrodes while maintaining power delivery to one or more other electrodes.