Abstract: A protective sleeve for shielding an electrical electrophysiology cable from blood and fluid splatter, comprising a distal member with a first through-hole, a proximal member with a second through-hole, and an elongated flexible tubular member therebetween through which the electrical cable can extend. When used with a catheter control handle, the sleeve can assume a stored configuration and a deployed configuration. The sleeve can be stored in a proximal end of the control handle and deployed from the proximal end of the catheter control handle. The sleeve can also be stored separately from the control handle and mounted onto the catheter control handle for deployment in extending over the electrical cable when electrical cable is connected to the catheter control handle. The sleeve can be readily disposed of along with the catheter control handle that is intended for single use.

Abstract: An apparatus includes an end effector having loop members with electrodes thereon and is usable with catheter-based systems to measure or provide electrical signals. The end effector can include three loop members that are non-coplanar when expanded unconstrained that become contiguous to a planar surface when the loop members are deflected against the surface, a mechanical linkage that joins the loop members at a distal vertex of the end effector, electrodes having surface treatment to enhance surface roughness of the electrodes, twisted pair electrode wires, a bonded spine cover, and/or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A catheter includes a catheter body and a distal tip section that includes an elongated member that extends along a longitudinal axis. An anchor mechanism can be disposed along an outer surface of the elongated member and/or within the elongated member in a first configuration. In a second configuration, the anchor mechanism can be configured to extend radially outward with respect to the longitudinal axis to surround at least a portion of the distal tip section.

Abstract: A catheter system to record and map electrical signals by cardiac tissues before, during, and/or after the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in a group of patients. The system can include an elongated body; a distal electrode assembly comprising a proximal stem, a plurality of spines emanating from the stem; and a plurality of nonconductive spine covers, each surrounding a respective spine. Each spine can cover one or more tensile members of the respective spine cover. The system can be configured to achieve clinically improved performance and safety of catheter configurations as to accessibility into target areas of a beating heart.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter having a flexible outer sheath and a flexible irrigation tube. The flexible outer sheath defines a first lumen. The flexible irrigation tube is positioned inside the first lumen and includes an inner layer and an outer coating layer. The inner layer is formed of a synthetic polymer compound and has a uniform cross-section with a hollow interior defining a second lumen. The outer coating layer is disposed around the inner layer. The outer coating layer is formed of a polymeric compound and includes first and second isomers. The first isomer is configured to carry a positive electric charge and the second isomer is configured to carry a negative electric charge.

Abstract: A method is used to manufacture a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a catheter and an end effector extending distally from the catheter. The method includes forming at least one electrode, sensor, or thermocouple onto the catheter or the end effector of the surgical instrument by etching or vapor depositing a three-dimensional structure onto a non-conductive material that is layered over a super elastic material.

Abstract: A method is used to manufacture a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a catheter and an end effector extending distally from the catheter. The method includes forming at least one electrode, sensor, or thermocouple onto the catheter or the end effector of the surgical instrument by etching or vapor depositing a three-dimensional structure onto a non-conductive material that is layered over a super elastic material.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter, a sensor, a first pair of wire segments, an artifact reduction feature, and a correction module. The sensor is positioned at a distal end of the catheter and is configured to generate a sensor signal. The first pair of wire segments is coupled with the sensor and extends along the length of the catheter. The artifact reduction feature is positioned proximate to the sensor and includes a second pair of wire segments. The correction module is configured to subtract motion-induced artifacts from signals received from the first pair of wire segments, based on motion-induced artifacts from signals received from the second pair of wire segments, to thereby provide a corrected sensor signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter, a sensor, a first pair of wire segments, an artifact reduction feature, and a correction module. The sensor is positioned at a distal end of the catheter and is configured to generate a sensor signal. The first pair of wire segments is coupled with the sensor and extends along the length of the catheter. The artifact reduction feature is positioned proximate to the sensor and includes a second pair of wire segments. The correction module is configured to subtract motion-induced artifacts from signals received from the first pair of wire segments, based on motion-induced artifacts from signals received from the second pair of wire segments, to thereby provide a corrected sensor signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter shaft assembly and an end effector. The catheter shaft assembly includes an outer sheath with a distal end. The end effector is associated with a distal end of the catheter shaft assembly. The end effector includes a plurality of leaflets. The leaflets are configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration. The leaflets are configured to fit within the outer sheath in the first configuration. The leaflets are configured to expand outwardly away from the longitudinal axis in the second configuration in response to being exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath. Each leaflet includes a flexible body and a plurality of electrodes. Each flexible body defines a plurality of openings. The electrodes are positioned on the flexible body.

Abstract: A catheter system to record and map electrical signals by cardiac tissues before, during, and/or after the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in a group of patients. The system can include an elongated body; a distal electrode assembly comprising a proximal stem, a plurality of spines emanating from the stem; and a plurality of nonconductive spine covers, each surrounding a respective spine. Each spine can cover one or more tensile members of the respective spine cover. The system can be configured to achieve clinically improved performance and safety of catheter configurations as to accessibility into target areas of a beating heart.

Abstract: A catheter system to record and map electrical signals by cardiac tissues before, during, and/or after the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias in a group of patients. The system can include an elongated body; a distal electrode assembly comprising a proximal stem, a plurality of spines emanating from the stem; and a plurality of nonconductive spine covers, each surrounding a respective spine. Each spine can cover one or more tensile members of the respective spine cover. The system can be configured to achieve clinically improved performance and safety of catheter configurations as to accessibility into target areas of a beating heart.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter body and an end effector. The catheter body has a distal end and is sized and configured to fit within regions of a cardiovascular system. The end effector is at the distal end of the catheter body and is sized and configured to fit within regions of a cardiovascular system. The end effector includes an end effector body, an electrode, and a sensor. The end effector body has an outer surface. The electrode has a tissue contact surface. The sensor has a tissue contact surface. The sensor is configured to sense at least one condition associated with tissue contacting the tissue contact surface of the sensor. The tissue contact surface of the sensor is configured to protrude relative to one or both of the outer surface of the end effector body member or the tissue contact surface of the electrode.

Abstract: A method is used to manufacture a surgical instrument. The surgical instrument includes a catheter and an end effector extending distally from the catheter. The method includes forming at least one electrode, sensor, or thermocouple onto the catheter or the end effector of the surgical instrument by etching or vapor depositing a three-dimensional structure onto a non-conductive material that is layered over a super elastic material.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter shaft assembly and an end effector. The end effector includes a plurality of strips and a plurality of electrodes. The strips are configured to fit within an outer sheath of the catheter shaft assembly in a first configuration. The strips are configured to expand outwardly away from a longitudinal axis defined by the catheter shaft assembly in a second configuration when exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath. The electrodes are positioned on at least some of the strips. The electrodes are positioned relative to each other such that groups of four of the electrodes define a substantially square configuration.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter and an end effector. At least a portion of the catheter is sized and configured to fit within a lumen of a cardiovascular system. The end effector is positioned at a distal end of the catheter. The end effector includes a panel, a plurality of mapping electrodes positioned on a first surface of the panel, and a plurality of ablation electrodes positioned on the first surface of the panel. The mapping electrodes are configured to sense electrical potentials in tissue contacting the mapping electrodes. The ablation electrodes are operable to ablate tissue contacting the ablation electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter and an end effector. The end effector includes an expandable body and a plurality of electrodes deposited on the outer surface of the expandable body. The expandable body is configured to transition between a non-expanded state and an expanded state. The expandable body has an inner surface and an outer surface. The expandable body defines a plurality of openings extending from the inner surface to the outer surface. The electrodes are configured to expand with the expandable body from the non-expanded state to the expanded state. The electrodes including one or more electrodes selected from the group consisting of mapping electrodes that are configured to sense electrical potentials in tissue contacting the mapping electrodes and ablation electrodes that are operable to ablate tissue contacting the ablation electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter having a flexible outer sheath and a flexible irrigation tube. The flexible outer sheath defines a first lumen. The flexible irrigation tube is positioned inside the first lumen and includes an inner layer and an outer coating layer. The inner layer is formed of a synthetic polymer compound and has a uniform cross-section with a hollow interior defining a second lumen. The outer coating layer is disposed around the inner layer. The outer coating layer is formed of a polymeric compound and includes first and second isomers. The first isomer is configured to carry a positive electric charge and the second isomer is configured to carry a negative electric charge.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a catheter shaft assembly and an end effector. The catheter shaft assembly includes an outer sheath with a distal end. The end effector is associated with a distal end of the catheter shaft assembly. The end effector includes a plurality of leaflets. The leaflets are configured to transition between a first configuration and a second configuration. The leaflets are configured to fit within the outer sheath in the first configuration. The leaflets are configured to expand outwardly away from the longitudinal axis in the second configuration in response to being exposed distally relative to the distal end of the outer sheath. Each leaflet includes a flexible body and a plurality of electrodes. Each flexible body defines a plurality of openings. The electrodes are positioned on the flexible body.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector has a distal end and a proximal end with a longitudinal intermediate point between the distal and proximal ends. The end effector is sized to fit in an anatomical passageway within a cardiovascular system. The end effector includes at least one sensor electrode and a reference electrode. The at least one sensor electrode is configured to contact cardiovascular tissue and thereby pick up potentials. The reference electrode is configured to pick up a potential from fluid in contact with the reference electrode. The reference electrode is located proximal to the longitudinal intermediate point of the end effector. The end effector is configured to prevent the reference electrode from contacting tissue.