Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: A method of tracking a position of a catheter within a patient includes securing a navigational reference at a reference location within the patient, defining the reference location as the origin of a coordinate system, determining a location of an electrode moving within the patient relative to that coordinate system, monitoring for a dislodgement of the navigational reference from the initial reference location, for example by measuring the navigational reference relative to a far field reference outside the patient's body, and generating a signal indicating that the navigational reference has dislodged from the reference location. Upon dislodgement, a user may be provided with guidance to help reposition and secure the navigational reference to the initial reference location, or the navigational reference may be automatically repositioned and secured to the initial reference location. Alternatively, a reference adjustment may be calculated to compensate for the changed reference point/origin.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: Electrode assemblies include segmented electrodes disposed on a catheter. The segmented electrodes can be constructed at the tip of the catheter. Tip electrodes can be constructed from an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace.

Abstract: Electrode assemblies include segmented electrodes disposed on a catheter. The segmented electrodes can be constructed at the tip of the catheter. Tip electrodes can be constructed from an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace.

Abstract: A method of monitoring contact between a probe and a tissue surface includes placing the probe in proximity to the surface, robotically moving the probe, measuring a tissue parameter at the distal end of the probe, calculating an amount of change in the measured tissue parameter between measurements thereof, and indicating a change in proximity or degree of contact between the probe and the surface based upon the amount of change. The indication of change may be based directly upon the calculated amount of change in the measured parameter or upon a calculated rate of change in the parameter. The rate of change may be relative to the time between measurements or the distance traveled by the probe between measurements, and may be calculated as a first, second, or other derivative of the tissue parameter.

Abstract: A method of tracking a position of a catheter within a patient includes securing a navigational reference at a reference location within the patient, defining the reference location as the origin of a coordinate system, determining a location of an electrode moving within the patient relative to that coordinate system, monitoring for a dislodgement of the navigational reference from the initial reference location, for example by measuring the navigational reference relative to a far field reference outside the patient's body, and generating a signal indicating that the navigational reference has dislodged from the reference location. Upon dislodgement, a user may be provided with guidance to help reposition and secure the navigational reference to the initial reference location, or the navigational reference may be automatically repositioned and secured to the initial reference location. Alternatively, a reference adjustment may be calculated to compensate for the changed reference point/origin.

Abstract: A method of tracking a position of a catheter within a patient includes securing a navigational reference at a reference location within the patient, defining the reference location as the origin of a coordinate system, determining a location of an electrode moving within the patient relative to that coordinate system, monitoring for a dislodgement of the navigational reference from the initial reference location, for example by measuring the navigational reference relative to a far field reference outside the patient's body, and generating a signal indicating that the navigational reference has dislodged from the reference location. Upon dislodgement, a user may be provided with guidance to help reposition and secure the navigational reference to the initial reference location, or the navigational reference may be automatically repositioned and secured to the initial reference location. Alternatively, a reference adjustment may be calculated to compensate for the changed reference point/origin.

Abstract: A system for determining a location of an electrode of a medical device (e.g., a catheter) in a body of a patient includes a localization block for producing an uncompensated electrode location, a motion compensation block for producing a compensation signal (i.e., for respiration, cardiac, etc.), and a mechanism for subtracting the compensation signal from the uncompensated electrode location. The result is a corrected electrode location substantially free of respiration and cardiac artifacts. The motion compensation block includes a dynamic adaptation feature which accounts for changes in a patient's respiration patterns as well as intentional movements of the medical device to different locations within the patient's body. The system further includes an automatic compensation gain control which suppresses compensation when certain conditions, such as noise or sudden patch impedance changes, are detected.

Abstract: A system for determining a location of an electrode of a medical device (e.g., a catheter) in a body of a patient includes a localization block for producing an uncompensated electrode location, a motion compensation block for producing a compensation signal (i.e., for respiration, cardiac, etc.), and a mechanism for subtracting the compensation signal from the uncompensated electrode location. The result is a corrected electrode location substantially free of respiration and cardiac artifacts. The motion compensation block includes a dynamic adaptation feature which accounts for changes in a patient's respiration patterns as well as intentional movements of the medical device to different locations within the patient's body. The system further includes an automatic compensation gain control which suppresses compensation when certain conditions, such as noise or sudden patch impedance changes, are detected.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: A system for ablating tissue includes an ablation catheter for insertion into the body of a patient and a robotic controller for moving the catheter within the body. The robotic controller advances the catheter until the catheter contacts the tissue surface, maintains contact between the catheter and the tissue surface, and moves the catheter along a predetermined path to create a substantially continuous lesion of ablated tissue. A display device may be used to present a graphical representation of an area of tissue to be ablated. A user interface permits selection of a plurality of treatment points on the graphical representation. The interface is preferably coupled to the controller and catheter such that the controller may cause the catheter to automatically ablate tissue at and between the plurality of treatment points in response to the received user input.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing contact between a medical device and tissue may comprise an electronic control unit (ECU) configured to be coupled to a medical device, the medical device comprising a first electrode and a second electrode. The ECU may be further configured to select the first electrode as an electrical source and the second electrode as an electrical sink, to cause an electrical signal to be driven between the source and sink, to detect respective electric potentials on the first electrode and the second electrode while the electrical signal is driven, and to determine an impedance respective of one of the first electrode and the second electrode according to both of the respective electric potentials.

Abstract: A system for ablating tissue includes an ablation catheter for insertion into the body of a patient and a robotic controller for moving the catheter within the body. The robotic controller advances the catheter until the catheter contacts the tissue surface, maintains contact between the catheter and the tissue surface, and moves the catheter along a predetermined path to create a substantially continuous lesion of ablated tissue. A display device may be used to present a graphical representation of an area of tissue to be ablated. A user interface permits selection of a plurality of treatment points on the graphical representation. The interface is preferably coupled to the controller and catheter such that the controller may cause the catheter to automatically ablate tissue at and between the plurality of treatment points in response to the received user input.

Abstract: A robotic system for manipulating a catheter with a plurality of steering wires longitudinally situated within a length of the catheter includes a user interface configured to display a view of an anatomical model and to receive one or more user inputs; a catheter manipulator assembly configured to linearly actuate one or more control members of a catheter; and a robotic controller configured to provide a view of an anatomical model to the user interface; accept one or more user inputs from the user interface; register the one or more user inputs to a coordinate system associated with the anatomical model; compute one or more actuator commands from the one or more registered inputs; and cause the catheter manipulator assembly to linearly actuate one or more control members of a catheter in accordance with the computed actuator commands.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for assessing the compliance of internal patient tissue for purposes of catheter guidance and/or ablation procedures. Specifically, the system/method provides for probing internal patient tissue in order to obtain force and/or tissue displacement measurements. These measurements are utilized to generate an indication of tissue elasticity. In one exemplary embodiment, the indication of elasticity is correlated with an image of the internal tissue area and an output of this image including elasticity indications is displayed for a user.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a control system for user-guided robotic control of a medical device and includes an electronic control unit, a computer-readable memory coupled to the ECU, and a visualization system configured to provide a view of an anatomical model. The memory contains user interface logic configured to be executed by the ECU, and configured to obtain input from a touch screen display with respect to the view of an anatomical model. Control logic stored in the memory is also configured to be executed by said ECU and is configured to produce an actuation control signal responsive to the input to control actuation of a manipulator assembly so as to move the medical device.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a control system for user-guided robotic control of a medical device and includes an electronic control unit, a computer-readable memory coupled to the ECU, and a visualization system configured to provide a view of an anatomical model. The memory contains user interface logic configured to be executed by the ECU, and configured to obtain input from a touch screen display with respect to the view of an anatomical model. Control logic stored in the memory is also configured to be executed by said ECU and is configured to produce an actuation control signal responsive to the input to control actuation of a manipulator assembly so as to move the medical device.