Abstract: Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes an expandable structure, configured for insertion into a body of a subject, and a plurality of conducting elements coupled to the expandable structure. Each of the conducting elements comprises a respective coil and has an insulated portion that is electrically insulated from tissue of the subject, and an uninsulated portion configured to exchange signals with the tissue, while in contact with the tissue. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method, including receiving a unipolar ECG signal from the location in the heart from a selected one electrode of a pair of electrodes, computing a local unipolar minimum derivative of the unipolar signal at a plurality of times of occurrences of the local unipolar minimum derivative, identifying candidate time of occurrences of the plurality of times of occurrences of the local unipolar minimum derivative as candidate annotations of the time of activation of the myocardium, extracting features for each of the candidate annotations, assigning a confidence level based on a feature value for each of the candidate annotations, eliminating candidate annotations that have a confidence level below a threshold and generating a local activation time map using the remaining candidate annotations.

Abstract: Apparatus, including a probe having a proximal end and a distal end, the probe being configured to be inserted into an organ of a human patient and defining a probe axis. At least two conductors are positioned on the probe at the distal end. The apparatus includes at least two flexible conductive splines, each conductive spline having a first termination and a second termination, the first terminations being electrically connected together at a region on the probe axis beyond the distal end, each second termination being electrically connected to a respective one of the conductors, the splines being configured to bend into respective arcuate forms that encompass a volume. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to receive voltages induced on the splines via the conductors and to calculate a position and orientation of the volume in response to the received voltages.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a cardiac signal that is sensed by electrodes at a location in a heart of a patient, the cardiac signal including signal components evoked by respective activations. The signal components in the cardiac signal are found and annotated. Respective time differences are calculated between the annotations and the corresponding activations. Based on the time differences, one or more cardiac tissue locations are identified, that demonstrate progressively slowing activation (PSA). An EP map of at least a portion of the heart is presented to a user, including providing a graphical indication of the one or more tissue locations that demonstrate the PSA.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sensor for a catheter comprising: a first coil at a location within the catheter and electrically insulated by the catheter, for outputting signals for determining the position of the first coil within the body; and, a second coil along the outside of the catheter, the second coil including an uninsulated portion of a predetermined number of windings configured to output 1) electrocardiogram (ECG) signals, and, 2) signals indicative of voltages corresponding to tissue impedance from a magnetic field through body tissues and/or fluids.

Abstract: Medical devices and methods of use thereof are disclosed. The medical device can include an elongated catheter body defining a longitudinal axis and a distal tip electrode coupled to a distal end of the elongated catheter body. The distal tip electrode can have an outer surface, a cavity, a proximal end, a distal end, and a wall having a plurality of apertures connecting the outer surface and the cavity, with apertures arranged in a grid. The wall of the distal tip electrode can have a plurality of longitudinal grooves and a plurality of circumferential grooves formed therein so that each longitudinal groove extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and has at least two apertures positioned with a respective longitudinal groove and each circumferential groove intersects with at least one of the longitudinal grooves to define an aperture at such intersection.

Abstract: Described embodiments include apparatus that includes a catheter and a tip electrode, at a distal end of the catheter, shaped to define a plurality of fluid apertures. A structure, within the tip electrode, is configured such that fluid passed distally through a lumen of the catheter flows in a longitudinal direction through a space between the structure and an inner surface of the tip electrode, prior to exiting through the fluid apertures. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A method is described herein. The method is implemented by an optimization engine executed by a processor. The optimization engine receives data that includes performance metrics of mapping and ablation procedures. In turn, the optimization generates procedure expected outcomes for the mapping and ablation procedures based on the data and success predictions for a current ablation procedure utilizing the procedure expected outcomes. The gap index is calculated. The optimization engine, also, outputs an ablation recommendation based on the success predictions and the gap index.

Abstract: A method for evaluation of electrical propagation in the heart includes receiving a pacing signal applied to a heart of a patient, the pacing signal including a sequence of normal and shorter, abnormal, pacing stimuli. A responsive cardiac signal is received, that is sensed by electrodes at a location in the heart and on the body surface of the patient. A model response is found and annotated from evoked potentials caused by the normal pacing stimuli. A correlation is made between the model response along the different signal sections to find and calculate a normal and decremental time delays between the pacing stimuli and respectively resulting evoked potentials at a tissue location. A time difference is calculated, between the normal time delay and the decremental time delay. An EP map of at least a portion of the heart is presented to a user, with a graphical indication of the time difference presented at the tissue location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a shaft and an end effector at a distal end of the shaft. The end effector is sized to fit in an anatomical passageway within a subject's cardiovascular system. The end effector includes at least one electrode pair that is configured to contact cardiovascular tissue and thereby pick up electrocardiogram signals. Each electrode pair includes first and second electrodes spaced apart along a longitudinal axis from each other by a gap area located between the electrodes, the gap area having a gap length with respect to the longitudinal axis such that a length of one of the electrodes along the longitudinal axis is equal to or greater than the gap length; and a ratio of an area defined by the gap area to one electrode area is equal to or less than one.

Abstract: Described embodiments include apparatus that includes a catheter and a tip electrode, at a distal end of the catheter, shaped to define a plurality of microelectrode apertures. The apparatus further includes at least one printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within a lumen of the catheter, and a plurality of microelectrodes coupled to the PCB and at least partly situated within the microelectrode apertures, the PCB being configured to carry signals from the microelectrodes. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: A stabilized coronary sinus catheter system having a proximal section and a distal section with a memory shape portion, and a tip, distal of the memory shape portion. A handle having a body, a tip deflection actuator, a memory shape portion deployment actuator, and an axis. The tip is in line with the axis and the tip deflection actuator is at a first position. The tip is deflected out of alignment with the axis when the tip deflection actuator is at a second position. A third position is a delivery configuration where the memory shape portion and the tip are in line with the axis. The memory shape portion deployment actuator is at a first location. A deployed configuration allows the memory shape portion to form a predetermined shape conforming to the shape of the coronary sinus when the memory shape portion deployment actuator is at a second location.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a frame and a plurality of magnetic field generators. The frame is configured to be secured to a patient's head. The frame includes a plurality of housings. Each housing of the plurality of housings is configured to securely engage a corresponding portion of the patient's head. The plurality of magnetic field generators is operable to generate a magnetic field around at least a portion of the patient's head. Each magnetic field generator of the plurality of magnetic field generators is securely retained by a corresponding housing of the plurality of housings.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses and methods that include a catheter configured to be inserted into an intra-body cavity of a patient. An ultrasonic transducer array including a plurality of multi-frequency ultrasonic transducers may be arranged on the catheter. Each of the plurality of multi-frequency ultrasonic transducers may be configured to transmit a wide beam ultrasonic signal and a narrow beam ultrasound signal, and may further be configured to receive a wide beam echo signal and narrow beam echo signal. A processor may be configured to detect free space of the intra-body cavity by processing the wide beam echo signals and the narrow beam echo signals.

Abstract: A catheter for electrophysiology applications is disclosed herein that includes a tubular member and an end effector. The end effector is coupled to a distal portion of the tubular member. The end effector includes first, second, and third loop members configured so that the first loop member defines a first plane, the second loop member defines a second plane at an angle to the first plane, and the third loop member defines a third plane at an angle to the first plane and at an angle to the second plane. Each of the first, second, and third loop members are configured as a respective single axis magnetic coil, and the first, second, and third loop members are collectively configured to function as a three axis magnetic sensor.

Abstract: Catheters are presented herein having planar end effectors of various configurations, generally providing a two-sided and multi-layered platform for electrodes and sensors. In some examples, the end effector has a support frame (e.g. nitinol) between a pair of flexible circuits. The end effector can also include a polymer (e.g. silicone, LCP, etc.) between the flexible circuits and encapsulating the support frame. This platform facilitates positioning of electrodes on either side (including both sides) of the end effector in a variety of spacings and facilitates ultra-tight electrode spacing and/or a large area electrode. Sensors (ultrasound transducers, navigation coils, etc.) can be layered within the end effector between outer surfaces of the flexible circuits in a variety of configurations.

Abstract: Described embodiments include an apparatus that includes a flexible electrically-insulating substrate, including an inner surface and an outer surface, and shaped to define (i) multiple narrower channels passing between the inner surface and the outer surface, and (ii) one or more wider channels passing between the inner surface and the outer surface. The apparatus further includes an outer layer of an electrically-conducting metal covering at least part of the outer surface, an inner layer of the electrically-conducting metal covering at least part of the inner surface, a plating layer of the electrically-conducting metal that plates the wider channels such as to connect the outer layer to the inner layer, and respective columns of the electrically-conducting metal that fill the narrower channels such as to connect the outer layer to the inner layer. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Described embodiments include apparatus that includes a catheter and a tip electrode, at a distal end of the catheter, shaped to define a plurality of fluid apertures. A structure, within the tip electrode, is configured such that fluid passed distally through a lumen of the catheter flows in a longitudinal direction through a space between the structure and an inner surface of the tip electrode, prior to exiting through the fluid apertures. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems, apparatuses and methods that identify end expirium data based on catheter movement data.

Abstract: A method, consisting of modeling physical parameters representative of a probe in proximity to body tissue during an ablation procedure performed by the probe. The method also includes measuring a subgroup of the physical parameters during a non-ablation stage of the ablation procedure so as to generate measured non-ablative values of the subgroup, and measuring the subgroup of the physical parameters during an ablation stage of the ablation procedure so as to generate measured ablative values of the subgroup. In response to the modeling, the method includes generating calculated non-ablative values of the subgroup for the non-ablation stage, and generating calculated ablative values of the subgroup for the ablation stage. The method compares the measured non-ablative values with the calculated non-ablative values, and compares the measured ablative values with the calculated ablative values, so as generate optimal values of the physical parameters.