Electrode Placed In Or On Heart Patents (Class 600/374)
  • Patent number: 9345877
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally pertain to devices and methods for use in conjunction with implanting a baroreflex therapy system which includes an implantable pulse generator and associated circuitry contained within a hermetically sealed housing, an elongate flexible electrical lead connectable to the housing, and a monopolar electrode structure coupled with the electrical lead. More specifically, the devices and methods of the present invention allow for a mapping procedure to be conducted as part of the implant procedure prior to fully implanting the baroreflex therapy system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: CVRx, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Pignato, Vance Kesler, Adam Cates, Bart Carey, Greg Sundberg, Joe DuPay, Luis Miguel Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9326722
    Abstract: The invention includes, in part, methods and apparatus for determining the status of labor in a pregnant subject. In some embodiments of the invention, organ-level uterine function is determined as a measure of the status of labor such as non-labor (e.g. false labor), latent phase labor, active phase labor, or post-delivery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
    Inventor: Roger C. Young
  • Patent number: 9320564
    Abstract: Catheters, systems, and methods are provided for performing medical procedures, such as tissue ablation, adjacent the ostia of anatomical vessels, such as pulmonary veins. The catheter comprises an elongated flexible catheter body including a proximal shaft portion and a distal shaft portion, which has a proximal section pre-shaped to form a curve having an apex sized to be inserted into an anatomical vessel, such as a pulmonary vein, and a distal section configured to contact an ostium of the vessel when the curve apex is inserted within the vessel ostium. The catheter further comprises a steering mechanism configured for decreasing a radius of curvature of the curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed Inc.
    Inventors: Boaz Avitall, Josef V. Koblish
  • Patent number: 9314208
    Abstract: A catheter adapted for greater mapping resolution and location precision has a basket-shaped, high density electrode assembly for large-area mapping, and an integrated distal tip providing an array of ultra-high density microelectrodes for acute focal mapping. The basket-shaped electrode assembly 18 has a plurality of electrode-carrying spines and the distal tip has a nonmetallic, electrically insulating substrate body with indentations in which microelectrodes are positioned in a manner that the outer surface is generally flush with the outer surface of the substrate body to present a generally smooth, atraumatic distal tip profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
    Inventors: Andres Claudio Altmann, Assaf Govari, Christopher Beeckler, Rowan Hettel
  • Patent number: 9314299
    Abstract: An improved catheter particularly useful for tubular regions at or near the heart has a distal assembly having at least two spines, each having a proximal end fixed to the catheter and a free distal end. Each spine has a support arm supporting the spine in a generally L-shaped configuration when the spine is in a relaxed, neutral state and in a generally U-shaped configuration when the spine is inserted into a tubular region. The spine has a proximal portion and a distal portion that may be straight or curved or zig-zagged. Each spine carries a tip electrode and at least one ring electrode that come into contact simultaneously with heart tissue for ablation and/or sensing electrical activity along two different circumferences of the tubular region simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventor: Itzhak Fang
  • Patent number: 9308041
    Abstract: A medical device includes an insertion shaft, having a longitudinal axis and having a distal end adapted for insertion into a body of a patient. A resilient end section is fixed to the distal end of the insertion shaft and is formed so as to define an arc oriented obliquely relative to the axis and having a center of curvature on the axis. One or more electrodes are disposed along the end section. An ultrasound transducer is fixed to the distal end and is configured to image a vicinity of the arc using ultrasound waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
    Inventors: Andres Claudio Altmann, Assaf Govari
  • Patent number: 9301801
    Abstract: A catheter particularly useful for ablation lesions within a tubular region of or near the heart is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated flexible tubular catheter body having an axis and proximal and distal ends. An ablation assembly is mounted at the distal end of the tubular body. The ablation assembly has a preformed generally circular curve having an outer surface and being generally transverse to the axis of the catheter body. The ablation assembly comprises a flexible tubing having proximal and distal ends that carries a tip electrode at its distal end. An electrode lead wire extends through the catheter body and into the ablation assembly and has a distal end connected to the tip electrode. In use the distal end of the catheter is interested into the heart of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER, INC.
    Inventor: Mark S. Scheib
  • Patent number: 9295398
    Abstract: A method and system for determining the mechanism of cardiac arrhythmia in a patient is disclosed. The method basically entails measuring the impedance of cardiac tissue in a portion of the patient's heart using a catheter during an episode of supraventricular tachycardia to produce an iso-impedance map of that cardiac tissue on a video display and analyzing the pattern of the iso-impedance map to differentiate focal arrhythmia caused by a circumscribed region of focal firing and reentrant arrhythmia caused by a macroreentrant circuit. The method can also be used to identify regions of coherent rapidly conducting tissue e.g., Bachman's bundle or the inferoposterior pathway insertion points, to identify focal “mother rotors” throughout the left atrium that may participate in the generation and maintenance of atrial fibrillation and to identify areas of CAFE (complex atrial/fractionated electrograms) that truly reflect these mother rotors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Albert Einstein Healthcare Network
    Inventor: Allan M. Greenspan
  • Patent number: 9295405
    Abstract: A patient-specific model can show changes in cardiac stroke volume or cardiac output, such as to predict heart failure or to indicate cardiac remodeling. The patient-specific model can be derived from a surrogate indication of a cardiac stroke volume, such as a physical activity level, and features obtained from a thoracic impedance waveform, such as mean or peak-to-peak impedance values. In an example, several models corresponding to different patient physical activity levels can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul F. Emerson, Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Yan Zou
  • Patent number: 9289606
    Abstract: Catheter systems include direction-sensitive, multi-polar tip electrode assemblies for electroporation-mediated therapy, electroporation-induced primary necrosis therapy and electric field-induced apoptosis therapy, including configurations for producing narrow, linear lesions as well as distributed, wide area lesions. A monitoring system for electroporation therapy includes a mechanism for delivering electrochromic dyes to a tissue site as well as a fiber optic arrangement to optically monitor the progress of the therapy as well as to confirm success post-therapy. A fiber optic temperature sensing electrode catheter includes a tip electrode having a cavity whose inner surface is impregnated or coated with thermochromic/thermotropic material that changes color with changes in temperature. An optic fiber/detector arrangement monitors the thermochromic or thermotropic materials, acquiring a light signal and generating an output signal indicative of the spectrum of the light signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Saurav Paul, Troy T. Tegg, Israel A. Byrd, Riki Thao, Harry A. Puryear, Linda Nemec, John M. Berns
  • Patent number: 9289596
    Abstract: A method of making a stimulation lead includes disposing a pre-electrode along a distal end portion of a lead body. The pre-electrode includes a body having a central hub and stimulation members individually coupled to the central hub and extending radially-outward therefrom such that each of the stimulation members is electrically-coupled to each of the remaining stimulation members solely via the central hub. Conductors extending from terminals disposed along a proximal end portion of the lead body are electrically-coupled to each of the stimulation members. Electrically-nonconductive material is disposed around longitudinal surfaces of the central hub with the electrically-nonconductive material abutting inner surfaces of the stimulation members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation
    Inventor: Jacob B. Leven
  • Patent number: 9283051
    Abstract: The invention provides for a system for estimating a 3-dimensional treatment volume for a device that applies treatment energy through a plurality of electrodes defining a treatment area, the system comprising a memory, a display device, a processor coupled to the memory and the display device, and a treatment planning module stored in the memory and executable by the processor. In one embodiment, the treatment planning module is adapted to generate an estimated first 3-dimensional treatment volume for display in the display device based on the ratio of a maximum conductivity of the treatment area to a baseline conductivity of the treatment area. The invention also provides for a method for estimating 3-dimensional treatment volume, the steps of which are executable through the processor. In embodiments, the system and method are based on a numerical model which may be implemented in computer readable code which is executable through a processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Paulo A. Garcia, Rafael V. Davalos
  • Patent number: 9283034
    Abstract: A method and systems for treating chronic total occlusions, particularly those that are difficult to treat, is disclosed. In this approach, recanalizing the CTO is achieved using a combined antegrade and retrograde approach. The proximal end of the occlusion is penetrated using an antegrade wire, using a traditional approach. Using collateral vessels, the distal end of the occlusion is crossed in a retrograde fashion. By appropriately maneuvering each member and applying radiofrequency energy between the proximal and distal ends of the occlusion, a continuous channel is created.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: RetroVascular, Inc.
    Inventors: Osamu Katoh, Wayne Ogata
  • Patent number: 9278187
    Abstract: A method for attaching a split ring electrode to a catheter tip section includes providing a tubing with a lumen and an opening in the tubing side wall, passing an electrode lead wire through the opening, and wrapping the lead wire around the tubing. A split ring electrode is mounted on the tubing over the wrapped lead wire and opening, with electrically-conductive thermoplastic elastomeric adhesive applied between the ring electrode and the outer surface of the tubing, and reheated to reflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventor: Thomas V. Selkee
  • Patent number: 9271680
    Abstract: Systems and methods can be used to determine activation information for points along a surface or selected region of interest. In one example, a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method that includes computing a local activation vector based on relative timing among electrical signals corresponding to neighboring points of a plurality of points on a surface envelope. An activation time can be computed for each of the plurality of points as a function of corresponding local activation vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: CardioInsight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Remi Dubois, Harold Wodlinger, Charulatha Ramanathan, Brian P. George, Pierre Roussel-Ragot
  • Patent number: 9265434
    Abstract: 3-dimensional cardiac reconstruction is carried out by catheterizing a heart using a probe with a mapping electrode, and acquiring electrical data from respective locations in regions of interest in the heart, representing the locations of the electrical data as a point cloud, reconstructing a model of the heart from the point cloud, applying a set of filters to the model to produce a filtered volume, segmenting the filtered volume to define components of the heart, and reporting the segmented filtered volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventors: Asaf Merschon, Fady Massarwa
  • Patent number: 9242088
    Abstract: A catheter may include electrodes for transvascular nerve stimulation. The electrodes may be positioned within lumens of the catheter and aligned with apertures in the outer wall of the catheter. The electrodes may produce focused electrical fields for stimulation of one or more nerves. In one embodiment, the catheter may include a set of proximal electrodes and a set of distal electrodes, and the proximal electrodes may stimulate a patient's left phrenic nerve and the distal electrodes may stimulate a patient's right phrenic nerve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Simon Fraser University
    Inventors: Viral Thakkar, Joaquin Andres Hoffer, Bao Dung Tran, Douglas G. Evans, John Nash, Steven Campbell Reynolds
  • Patent number: 9241675
    Abstract: Systems and methods can be used to determine activation information for points along a surface or selected region of interest. In one example, a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method that includes computing a local activation vector based on relative timing among electrical signals corresponding to neighboring points of a plurality of points on a surface envelope. An activation time can be computed for each of the plurality of points as a function of corresponding local activation vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: CardioInsight Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Remi Dubois, Harold Wodlinger, Charulatha Ramanathan, Brian P. George, Pierre Roussel-Ragot
  • Patent number: 9220439
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventor: John A. Hauck
  • Patent number: 9211160
    Abstract: A system for remotely controlling the positioning within the body of a patient of an elongated medical device optionally having a control handle, comprises a catheter position system and a remote controller configured to control the robotic device. The catheter position system includes a handle controller; a sled member coupled to the handle controller, the sled member being configured to position the medical device within the body of the patient; and a sled base configured to advance the sled member towards the body of a patient, the sled bed being coupled to a sterile barrier effective to maintain sterility inside the sled base. The catheter position system may include a control system configured to issue positioning commands in response to sensor signals received from the catheter. The catheter position system may also include a motor driven rotatable catheter introducer clamp configured to enable rotation of an introducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Inventors: Luiz Geraldo Pivotto, David Jenkins
  • Patent number: 9204927
    Abstract: A method and system for presenting information representative of lesion formation is provided. The system comprises an electronic control unit (ECU). The ECU is configured to acquire a value for an ablation description parameter and/or a position signal metric, wherein the value corresponds to a location in the tissue. The ECU is further configured to evaluate the value, assign it a visual indicator of a visualization scheme associated with the parameter/metric corresponding to the value, and generate a marker comprising the visual indicator such that the marker is indicative of the acquired value. The method comprises acquiring a value for the parameter/metric, and evaluating the value. The method further includes assigning a visual indicator of a visualization scheme associated with the parameter/metric corresponding to the value, and generating a marker comprising the visual indicator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Valtino X. Afonso, Lubomir V. Dragnev, Yitzhak I. Shai, Saurav Paul
  • Patent number: 9192318
    Abstract: Disclosed are devices, a systems, and methods for determining the dipole densities on heart walls. In particular, a triangularization of the heart wall is performed in which the dipole density of each of multiple regions correlate to the potential measured at various locations within the associated chamber of the heart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventor: Christoph Scharf
  • Patent number: 9192789
    Abstract: Methods for ablating tissue in a patient having atrial fibrillation comprise advancing an elongate flexible shaft through a patient's vasculature into a chamber of a heart. The elongate flexible shaft has an energy source and a sensor. Tissue in the heart is scanned with the sensor and data about the tissue is captured. The captured data is grouped into one of a plurality of tissue classifications and an anatomical map of the tissue showing the grouped data is displayed. At least a portion of the tissue is ablated so as to form a conduction block that blocks aberrant electrical pathways in the heart. The ablated tissue is grouped into one or more predefined tissue classifications during or prior to the ablation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: VYTRONUS, INC.
    Inventors: Hira V. Thapliyal, David A. Gallup, James W. Arenson
  • Patent number: 9186211
    Abstract: Medical devices and methods for making and using the same are disclosed. An example medical device may include a catheter shaft. An expandable member may be coupled to the catheter shaft. A plurality of flexible electrode assemblies may be coupled to the expandable member. A control unit may be coupled to the electrode assemblies. The control unit may be configured to energize the electrode assemblies for approximately 10 seconds to less than approximately 1 minute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
    Inventor: Prabodh Mathur
  • Patent number: 9179860
    Abstract: An volume of a patient can be mapped with a system operable to identify a plurality of locations and save a plurality of locations of a mapping instrument. The mapping instrument can include one or more electrodes that can sense a voltage that can be correlated to a three dimensional location of the electrode at the time of the sensing or measurement. Therefore, a map of a volume can be determined based upon the sensing of the plurality of points without the use of other imaging devices. An implantable medical device can then be navigated relative to the mapping data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: H. Toby Markowitz, Mustafa Karamanoglu, Pooja Mehta, Ioana Fleming, David A. Scanlon, Michael Kryger, Sean Campbell-Massa, Chad Giese, Steven L. Waldhauser, Shangqian Peter Zhang, Jeff Jannicke, Phillip Falkner, Don Hefner, Eduardo N. Warman, James Steeves, Rogier Receveur, Koen Michels, Olaf Eick, Vincent Larik
  • Patent number: 9173702
    Abstract: An ablation apparatus places electrodes at the perimeter of a cavity. In an embodiment, the alternating electric field is used to expose the cavity to enough energy to ablate the cavity. In an embodiment, two modes are used to expose different regions of the cavity to different amounts of power for so that the thermal effect is more uniform. In an embodiment, the electrodes have a relatively large surface area so as to avoid charring the cavity, but are shaped so as to fit within a body orifice. For example, the diameter of the sheathed housing the electrodes during penetration may be only 5.5 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Cardea Medsystems (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Roger Alan Stern, Jia Hua Xiao, Jerome Jackson, Grant Michael Glaze
  • Patent number: 9167982
    Abstract: The invention discloses a method, a system, a computer program and a device for determining the surface charge and/or dipole densities on heart walls. Using the foregoing, a table of dipole densities ?(P?, t) and/or a table of surface charge densities ?(P?, t) of a given heart chamber can be generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Inventor: Christoph Scharf
  • Patent number: 9155476
    Abstract: A temperature probe for monitoring temperatures of a surface of a tissue or organ within the body of a subject includes a section with a substantially two-dimensional arrangement and a plurality of temperature sensors positioned across an area defined by the substantially two-dimensional arrangement. Such an apparatus may be used in conjunction with procedures in which thermal techniques are used to diagnose a disease state or treat diseased tissue. Specifically, a temperature probe may be used to monitor temperatures across an area of a surface of a tissue or organ located close to the treated tissue to prevent subjection of the monitored tissue or organ to potentially damaging temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: CIRCA Scientific, LLC
    Inventor: Shawn P. Fojtik
  • Patent number: 9155589
    Abstract: A catheter includes a flexible shaft having a length sufficient to access a patient's renal artery. A treatment element at the distal end of the shaft is dimensioned for deployment within the renal artery. The treatment element comprises a radially expandable structure configured to maintain positioning within the renal artery. A multiplicity of electrodes are spaced apart on the treatment element and configured for switchable activation and deactivation in a predetermined sequence to generate overlapping zones of heating directed at perivascular nerves of the renal artery. The overlapping heating zones comprise a distal zone associated with relatively high current densities at a distance from the treatment element sufficient to ablate the perivascular renal nerves and a proximal zone associated with current densities lower than those of the distal zone and insufficient to cause thermal injury to tissue of the renal artery adjacent the treatment element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED, INC.
    Inventor: Mark L. Jenson
  • Patent number: 9149198
    Abstract: A medical device including a catheter having a shaft with a distal portion; a first plurality of substantially hemispherical electrodes coupled to the distal portion; a second plurality of substantially hemispherical electrodes coupled to the shaft proximal of the first plurality, where the second plurality of electrodes are oriented substantially orthogonal to the first plurality of electrodes; and an additional electrode coupled to the shaft. A console may have a processor in electrical communication with the first and second plurality of electrodes and the reference electrode, the processor programmed to obtaining a monophasic action potential recording from at least one of the first and second plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC
    Inventors: Randell L. Werneth, Meleze Hocini, Mark T. Stewart, Dan Wittenberger, Timothy J. Corvi, Michael T. Lau, Vinod Sharma
  • Patent number: 9131897
    Abstract: A highly safe catheter that measures electric potential can be inserted into a cardiac chamber together with a balloon-tip ablation catheter and is able to prevent abnormal heat generation at electric potential-measuring electrodes even when high-frequency current is distributed. The catheter includes a shaft having electric potential-measuring electrodes, a metal portion with a length of 2 mm or more, and a lumen passing therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end in the longitudinal direction; and a metal wire inserted through the lumen and connected to the metal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Harada, Motoki Takaoka
  • Patent number: 9125666
    Abstract: A catheter and catheter system for eccentric remodeling and/or removal of atherosclerotic material of a blood vessel of a patient include an elongate flexible catheter body with a radially expandable structure. A plurality of electrodes or other electrosurgical energy delivery surfaces can radially engage atherosclerotic material when the structure expands. An atherosclerotic material detector near the distal end of the catheter body may measure circumferential atherosclerotic material distribution, and a power source selectively energizes the electrodes to eccentrically remodel the measured atherosclerotic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: VESSIX VASCULAR, INC.
    Inventors: Tom A. Steinke, Corbett W. Stone, Stephen O. Ross, Brian S. Kelleher, Raphael M. Michel, Donald H. Koenig
  • Patent number: 9125585
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes positioning a lead in a patient where the lead has a longitudinal axis that extends from a proximal end to a distal end and where the lead includes an electrode with an electrical center offset from the longitudinal axis of the lead body; measuring electrical potential in a three-dimensional potential field using the electrode; and based on the measuring and the offset of the electrical center, determining lead roll about the longitudinal axis of the lead body where lead roll may be used for correction of field heterogeneity, placement or navigation of the lead or physiological monitoring (e.g., cardiac function, respiration, etc.). Various other methods, devices, systems, etc., are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: PACESETTER, INC.
    Inventors: Stuart Rosenberg, Thao Ngo, Kyungmoo Ryu, Kjell Noren, Allen Keel, Wenbo Hou, Steve Koh, Michael Yang
  • Patent number: 9119533
    Abstract: System, devices and methods are presented that integrate stretchable or flexible circuitry, including arrays of active devices for enhanced sensing, diagnostic, and therapeutic capabilities. The invention enables conformal sensing contact with tissues of interest, such as the inner wall of a lumen, a the brain, or the surface of the heart. Such direct, conformal contact increases accuracy of measurement and delivery of therapy. Further, the invention enables the incorporation of both sensing and therapeutic devices on the same substrate allowing for faster treatment of diseased tissue and fewer devices to perform the same procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: MC10, Inc.
    Inventor: Roozbeh Ghaffari
  • Patent number: 9113824
    Abstract: A method, including: measuring first positions of a probe fixed at a first point in a body of a patient over at least a portion of a respiration cycle of the patient, and formulating respective indicators of a respiration state of the patient at the first positions. The method further includes generating a functional relationship between the first positions and the respective indicators and extracting parameters from the functional relationship. The method also includes moving the probe to a second point of the body, measuring second positions of the probe at the second point during a subsequent respiration cycle of the patient, and applying the parameters to the second positions so as to compensate for respiratory motion of the patient at the second point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel), Ltd.
    Inventor: Meir Bar-Tal
  • Patent number: 9113807
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev A. Koyrakh, Eric J. Voth, John A. Hauck, Jeffrey A. Schweitzer
  • Patent number: 9101396
    Abstract: A method for operating a medical probe includes pressing a distal end of the medical probe, which includes one or more arms that extend diagonally outward from a central shaft and have respective position transducers coupled thereto, against an intra-body surface, so as to cause the arms to exert pressure on the surface and bend with respect to the central shaft in response to the pressure. Positions of the respective position transducers coupled to the arms are measured, and the pressure exerted by the arms is estimated responsively to the measured positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Inventors: Assaf Govari, Andres Claudio Altmann, Orit Kolin-Schwartz
  • Patent number: 9095262
    Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a system for the guidance of a catheter to different regions of tissue (e.g., cardiac tissue) for therapy (e.g., ablation therapy). A plurality of electrodes, such as an array of electrodes, may be configured to perform various tasks. First, some electrodes may measure cardiac polarization. Second, some electrodes may function as magnets (e.g., electromagnets) that guide a separate ablation catheter towards the electromagnetic electrodes. These electromagnetic electrodes may be positioned adjacent tissue that is now recognized (possibly due to the electrodes that measure cardiac polarization) as being in need of ablation therapy. Thus, the electromagnetic electrodes may cooperate with an ablation catheter to render a system with magnetic guidance capabilities using intracardiac magnetic field generation. The system may control electromagnetic forces from the array of electrodes to guide the ablation catheter tip to the desired therapy location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Inventors: Mehdi Razavi, Christopher Alex Arevalos
  • Patent number: 9095361
    Abstract: A needle access assembly and method for obtaining percutaneous needle access with little or no fluoroscopy. The method can include selecting a target for percutaneous access, directing a laser guide at a desired needle-insertion angle and in line with the selected target, aligning the needle access assembly with the laser, and inserting the needle into the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: FACULTY PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS OF LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
    Inventor: Dalton Duane Baldwin
  • Patent number: 9084869
    Abstract: A catheter assembly comprises a first elongate tubular member having a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion having an opening therein and defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end. A second elongate tubular member has a proximal end portion defining a proximal end, a distal end portion defining a distal end, and at least one lumen defined between the proximal end and the distal end. The second elongate tubular member is received within the at least one lumen of the first elongate tubular member, such that the distal end portion of the second elongate tubular member projects from the opening in the distal end portion of the first elongate tubular member. An elongate, shape-imparting element is receivable in the at least one lumen of at least one of the first elongate tubular member and the second elongate tubular member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: CATHRX, LTD
    Inventors: Neil Lawrence Anderson, Evan Ka-Loke Chong, David Ogle, James Panos
  • Patent number: 9066720
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices, systems and methods for evaluating the success of a treatment applied to tissue in a patient, such as a radio frequency ablative treatment used to neuromodulate nerves associated with the renal artery. A system monitors parameters or values generated during the course of a treatment. Feedback provided to an operator is based on the monitored values and relates to an assessment of the likelihood that a completed treatment was technically successful. In other embodiments, parameters or values generated during the course of an incomplete treatment (such as due to high temperature or high impedance conditions) may be evaluated to provide additional instructions or feedback to an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Medtronic Ardian Luxembourg S.a.r.l.
    Inventors: Sowmya Ballakur, Robert Beetel, Paul Friedrichs, Andrew Wu, Denise Zarins, David Herzfeld, Mark S. Leung
  • Patent number: 9060782
    Abstract: A tissue ablation system including numerous components and methods is described herein for encircling target tissue and generating tissue ablation volumes in various biological tissues. The biological tissue includes tissue of a variety of organs of the human body including the liver, spleen, kidney, lung, breast and other organs, but is not so limited. The tissue ablation device comprises an energy source and at least one trocar coupled to the energy source, the trocar having a body, a proximal end, and a distal end. The trocar carries an electrode array that comprises a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes is configured to extend from the trocar when moved from a retracted state to a deployed state, and to have at least one radius of curvature in the deployed state so that the electrode array forms a series of shaped electrodes in the deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: S.D.M.H. PTY. LTD.
    Inventors: Steven A. Daniel, David L. Morris, Kee Sein Lee
  • Patent number: 9050104
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bipolar radiofrequency ablation catheter comprising a working catheter and a magnetic catheter. The magnetic catheter comprises a first tube; a magnet; a first electrode; and a first electrode connector, and the working catheter comprises a second tube; a metallic element; a second electrode; and a second electrode connector. According to the present invention, it is possible to create transmural lesions more completely and easily at a thick myocardial region such as left ventricle in which a transmural lesion could not be easily created by using conventional radiofrequency ablation catheters and thus it is expected to increase the treatment efficiency for tachycardia such as ventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
    Inventor: Seil Oh
  • Patent number: 9044589
    Abstract: Electrode constructions comprise an inner wall structure with an electrode assembly disposed therein that includes a number of stimulation sites disposed at different locations along its length thereby forming an electrode array. An outer insulating layer is disposed over the electrode assembly and comprises a number of openings disposed therethrough at locations corresponding to the stimulation sites to thereby permit direct contact between the stimulation sites and an adjacent external object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Cochlear Limited
    Inventors: Milind Raje, Timothy McInnes
  • Patent number: 9044156
    Abstract: A catheter includes a tip electrode with a shell and a support member to provide a plenum chamber. The support member is formed with a U-shaped passage for a safety line to wrap around and secure the support member (with the shell affixed thereto) to the catheter. Additional passages are formed in the support member to accommodate components such as irrigation tubing, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair. A method of manufacture provides distal installation and/or anchoring of the safety line, lead wire and thermocouple wire pair in the support member prior to sealing the support member and mounting the shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Clark, Maria Duarte, Erica Lovejoy
  • Publication number: 20150148642
    Abstract: Catheter systems for measuring at least one electrical property, e.g., impedance, of cardiac tissue of a living being are disclosed. The system includes a catheter having a tip with a sensing electrode, a guard electrode and an electrical shield. The sensing electrode is arranged to engage the cardiac tissue and is coupled to circuitry for measuring the at least one electrical property of the cardiac tissue, shielding the sensing electrode from bulk blood adjacent the cardiac tissue. The measurement can gated to the cardiac cycle. Additional embodiments include multi-electrode sensor catheter tips for high density mapping. Moreover, such tips may be dynamically configurable, i.e., their electrodes can be variably assigned as sensor electrodes or guard electrodes by associated circuitry. Such multi-electrode configuration and reconfiguration can be gated to the cardiac cycle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventors: Allan M. Greenspan, Yale E. Goldman
  • Publication number: 20150141785
    Abstract: A medical probe includes a distal end and an elongate body for insertion into an organ of a patient. The distal end is connected to the elongate body and includes multiple arms that, when inserted into the organ, extend to form multiple respective spirals each having electrodes disposed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventors: Gal Hayam, Stuart G. Williams
  • Patent number: 9033916
    Abstract: A catheter for use in a patient's heart, especially for mapping a tubular region of the heart, has a catheter body, a deflectable intermediate section and a distal mapping assembly that has a generally circular portion adapted to sit on or in a tubular region of the heart. A control handle of the catheter allows for single-handed manipulation of various control mechanisms that can deflect the intermediate section and contract the mapping assembly by means of a deflection control assembly and a rotational control assembly. The deflection control assembly has a deflection arm and a rocker member. The rotational control assembly has an outer rotational member, an inner rotational member and a cam. A pair of puller members are responsive to the deflection control assembly to bi-directionally deflect the intermediate section. A third puller member is responsive to the rotational control assembly to contract the generally circular portion of the mapping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Biosense Webster, Inc.
    Inventor: Jefferey William Schultz
  • Patent number: 9037264
    Abstract: A family of catheter electrode assemblies includes a flexible circuit having a plurality of electrical traces and a substrate; a ring electrode surrounding the flexible circuit and electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of electrical traces; and an outer covering extending over at least a portion of the electrode. A non-contact electrode mapping catheter includes an outer tubing having a longitudinal axis, a deployment member, and a plurality of splines, at least one of the plurality of splines comprising a flexible circuit including a plurality of electrical traces and a substrate, a ring electrode surrounding the flexible circuit and electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of electrical traces; and an outer covering extending over at least a portion of the ring electrode. A method of constructing the family of catheter electrode assemblies is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
    Inventors: Dale E. Just, Troy T. Tegg, Theodore A. Johnson, Sacha C. Hall
  • Publication number: 20150133759
    Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing electroanatomic maps of the heart operate using a probe that has been inserted into a heart chamber by emitting electrical calibration signals from external locations that are outside the subjects body, receiving the calibration signals in a plurality of intracardiac electrodes on the probe, and determining functional relationships between the emitted calibration signals and the received calibration signals. Thereafter, electrophysiological signals from respective origins in the heart are detected in the external locations, and the functional relationships are applied to the detected electrophysiological signals to calculate intracardiac potentials at the respective origins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Applicant: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventor: Assaf Govari