Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a system for mapping the electrical activity of the heart. The system may include a catheter shaft with a plurality of electrodes. The system may also include a processor. The processor may be capable of collecting a set of signals from at least one of the plurality of electrodes. The set of signals may be collected over a time period. The processor may also be capable of calculating at least one propagation vector from the set of signals, generating a data set from the at least one propagation vector, generating a statistical distribution of the data set and generating a visual representation of the statistical distribution.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of mapping electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure. The activation signals are used to determine a dominant frequency for each electrode from which a wavefront vector for each electrode is determined based on a difference between the dominant frequency at a first electrode location and the dominant frequency at neighboring electrodes. An anatomical map is generated based on the determined wavefront vectors.

Abstract: An anatomical mapping system and method includes mapping electrodes configured to detect activation signals of cardiac activity. A processing system is configured to record the detected activation signals and generate a vector field for each sensed activation signal during each instance of the physiological activity. The processing system determines an onset time and alternative onset time candidates, identifies an initial vector field template based on a degree of similarity between the initial vector field and a vector field template from a bank of templates, then determines an optimized onset time for each activation signal based on a degree similarity between the onset time candidates and initial vector field template.

Abstract: A method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, each activation signal having an associated cycle length, estimating an action potential duration and diastolic interval for each cycle length, generating a restitution curve based on the estimated action potential duration and diastolic interval from a preceding cycle length, iteratively optimizing each estimated action potential duration and corresponding diastolic interval to maximize a functional relationship between the estimated action potential duration and estimated diastolic interval from preceding cycle length, and generating an action potential duration restitution curve based on the optimized action potential durations and diastolic intervals.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of mapping electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, each of the plurality of mapping electrodes having an electrode location. A vector field map which represents a direction of propagation of the activation signals at each electrode location is generated to identify a signature pattern and a location in the vector field map according to at least one vector field template. A target location of the identified signature pattern is identified according to a corresponding electrode location.

Abstract: An anatomical mapping system and method includes mapping electrodes configured to detect activation signals of cardiac activity. A processing system is configured to record the detected activation signals and generate a vector field for each sensed activation signal during each instance of the physiological activity. The processing system determines an onset time and alternative onset time candidates, identifies an initial vector field template based on a degree of similarity between the initial vector field and a vector field template from a bank of templates, then determines an optimized onset time for each activation signal based on a degree similarity between the onset time candidates and initial vector field template.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of mapping electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure. The activation signals are used to determine a dominant frequency for each electrode from which a wavefront vector for each electrode is determined based on a difference between the dominant frequency at a first electrode location and the dominant frequency at neighboring electrodes. An anatomical map is generated based on the determined wavefront vectors.

Abstract: A system and method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure. A most recent intrinsic event at a selected time is determined based on the sensed activation signals and a persistent display of relevant characteristics is generated based on the sensed activation signals of the most recent intrinsic event. The persistent display is updated upon detection of a subsequent intrinsic event.

Abstract: A method and system for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure. Substantially similar activation signals are binned according to a self-correlation algorithm which identifies patterns among the sensed activation signals. A template is generated for each bin and compared to a characteristic template to identify at least one bin which corresponds to a far-field activation signal.

Abstract: An alimentary tract treatment system is disclosed. The system may include a plurality of sensor devices for engaging a wall of a portion of the alimentary tract. The plurality of sensor devices may sense a parameter of the wall. The system may also include an alimentary tract treatment device for controlling a flow of material through the alimentary tract. Operation of the alimentary tract treatment device may be controlled based on the parameter sensed by the plurality of sensor devices.

Abstract: An anatomical mapping system includes a plurality of mapping electrodes, a plurality of mechanical sensors, and a mapping processor associated with the plurality of mapping electrodes and mechanical sensors. The mapping electrodes are configured to detect electrical activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity within an anatomical structure. The mechanical sensors are configured to detect mechanical activity associated with the intrinsic physiological activity. The mapping processor is configured to record the detected activation signals and associate one of the plurality of mapping electrodes and mechanical sensors with each recorded activation signal. The mapping processor is further configured to determine activation times of the intrinsic physiological activity based on a correlation of corresponding electrical activation signals and mechanical activity.

Abstract: A method for mapping a cardiac chamber includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the cardiac chamber, the activation signals including a near-field activation signal component and a far-field activation signal component, isolating R-wave events in the activation signals, generating a far-field activation template representative of the far-field activation signal component based on the R-wave events, and filtering the far-field activation template from the activation signals to identify the near-field activation signal components in the activation signals.

Abstract: A method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, each activation signal having an associated cycle length, estimating an action potential duration and diastolic interval for each cycle length, generating a restitution curve based on the estimated action potential duration and diastolic interval from a preceding cycle length, iteratively optimizing each estimated action potential duration and corresponding diastolic interval to maximize a functional relationship between the estimated action potential duration and estimated diastolic interval from preceding cycle length, and generating an action potential duration restitution curve based on the optimized action potential durations and diastolic intervals.

Abstract: An anatomical mapping system includes a plurality of mapping electrodes each having an electrode location and configured to detect activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity within an anatomical structure. A mapping processor is associated with the plurality of mapping electrodes and is configured to record the detected activation signals and associate one of the plurality of mapping electrodes with each recorded activation signal. The mapping processor is further configured to analyze the recorded activation signals to identify at least one recurring pattern based on a relationship between a timing of the detected activation signals and the electrode locations of the mapping electrode associated with each detected activation signal.

Abstract: A catheter system includes a mapping catheter having a plurality of splines, each of the plurality of splines including a plurality of mapping electrodes. The system further includes a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of mapping electrodes and configured to receive signals sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes. The processor is further configured to estimate an interspline distance between adjacent splines in the plurality of splines based on the signals sensed by the mapping electrodes on the adjacent splines.

Abstract: A method for mapping an anatomical structure includes sensing activation signals of intrinsic physiological activity with a plurality of electrodes disposed in or near the anatomical structure, identifying at least one of the electrodes not in direct contact with the anatomical structure, and adjusting the activation signals sensed by each of the plurality of electrodes based on the activation signals sensed by the identified at least one of the electrodes not in direct contact with the anatomical structure.

Abstract: A catheter system includes a mapping catheter including a plurality of mapping electrodes, each mapping electrode configured to sense signals associated with an anatomical structure. The catheter system further includes a processor operatively coupled to the plurality of mapping electrodes and configured to receive the signals sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes, characterize the signals sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes based on amplitudes of the sensed signals, and generate an output of a quality of contact of the plurality of mapping electrodes with the anatomical structure based on the signal characterization.

Abstract: A catheter system includes a plurality of mapping electrodes, an electrode movable relative to the plurality of mapping electrodes, and a guidance system coupled to the plurality of mapping electrodes and the ablation electrode. The guidance system is configured to receive signals associated with intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes and the movable electrode, and to correlate in real-time the intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the movable electrode with the intrinsic cardiac activity sensed by the plurality of mapping electrodes based on the signals received by the plurality of mapping electrodes and movable electrode to determine a location of the movable electrode with respect to the plurality of mapping electrodes.