Abstract:
This invention is devices and methods for ablating body tissue which use wire (44) wound about a support body (12) in adjacent windings to form one or more elongated electrodes. A connection couples the wire to a source of ablation energy for transmission by the elongated electrode to ablate tissue. The adjacent windings are spaced apart to impart enhanced flexibility to the elongated electrode during use.
Abstract:
An electrode support structure comprises a distal hub (48) and a proximal base (12) aligned along a major axis with the distal hub (48). An array of generally flexible spline elements (180) extends between the hub (48) and the base (12). The spline elements (180) each have an elongated axis that, at the base (12), extends generally parallel to the major axis and, at the hub (48), extends at an angle measured relative to the major axis of between 45 degrees and 110 degrees. The spline elements (180) collectively define a distal surface (66) lying within an envelope that approximates the curvature of endocardial tissue and within which envelope the distal hub (48) lies. According to this aspect of the invention, the distal surface (66), when contacting endocardial tissue, increases in surface area in response to force applied generally along the major axis to mediate tissue pressure.
Abstract:
This invention is systems and methods to examine heart tissue morphology using three or more spaced electrodes (38), at least two of which are located within the heart in contact with endocardial tissue. The systems and methods transmit electrical current through a region of heart tissue lying between selected pairs of electrodes (224), at least one of the electrodes in each pair being located within the heart. The systems and methods derive the electrical characteristic of tissue between the electrode pairs (206) based, at least in part, upon sensing tissue impedances.
Abstract:
A system records use of a structure deployed in operative association with heart tissue in a patient. An image controller generates an image of the structure while in use in the patient. An input receives data including information identifying the patient. An output processes the image in association with the data as a patient-specific, data base record for storage, retrieval, or manipulation.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for locating an operative element within an interior body space use a locating probe, which includes at least one transmitting element to transmit an electric waveform output within at least a portion of the space. The systems and methods also use a sensing element, which is adapted to be carried by the operative element to sense a local electric waveform within the space. A processing element coupled to the sensing element generates a processed output that locates the sensing element relative to the locating probe based, at least in part, upon a differential comparison of the waveform output and the sensed local waveform.
Abstract:
This invention is systems and methods that ablate body tissue using an electrode (16) for contacting tissue at a tissue electrode interface to transmit ablation energy at a determinable power level. The systems and methods include an element (50) to remove heat from the electrode (16) at a determinable rate. The systems and methods employ a processing element (98) to derive a prediction of the maximum tissue temperature condition occurring beneath the tissue electrode interface. The processing element (98) controls the power level of ablation energy transmitted by the electrode (16), or the rate at which the electrode (16) is cooled, or both, based, at least in part, upon the maximum tissue temperature prediction.
Abstract:
Analog or digital systems (10) and methods generate a composite signal derived from a biological event in a time sequential fashion. A first set of signals derived from a biological event using a first group of sensors (20) during a first time interval is input. A second set of signals derived from the biological event during a second time interval sequentially after the first time interval using a second group of sensors (36) is input. The second group of sensors has at least one common sensor that is part of the first group and other sensors that are not part of the first group. The first and second sets of signals are time aligned using signals sensed by the at least one common sensor, thereby generating the composite signal. The time alignment is done by shifting the first and second sets of signals either with or without computing a time difference between them.
Abstract:
Systems and associated methods position arrays of multiple emitters of ablating energy (30) in straight or curvilinear positions in contact with tissue to form elongated lesion patterns (200)-(206). The elongated lesion patterns can be continuous (200, 204) or interrupted (202, 206), depending upon the orientation of the energy emitters.
Abstract:
Systems and associated methods form larger and deeper lesion patterns by shaping a support body with multiple electrodes (30) in ways that increase the density of the electrodes (30) per given tissue area. The support body (12) can carry either elongated, continuous electrodes (80) or arrays of non-contiguous, segmented electrodes (30).
Abstract:
Systems and methods use an array (20) of multiple electrodes (24) supported for operative association with a region of heart tissue, in tandem with a roving second electrode (36) supported for movement relative to the multiple electrodes for operative association with selected different regions of endocardial tissue within the heart. An analog or digital processing element (32) conditions one of the multiple electrodes and the roving electrode to emit a pacing signal while the other one of the multiple electrodes and the roving electrode records paced electro-grams occurring as a result of the pacing signal. A template of cardiac event of known diagnosis sensed using the array of multiple electrodes is input. A sample of a cardiac event acquired by pacing from at least one roving electrode and sensed with the array of multiple electrodes is input. The processing element and method electronically compare the sample to a template and generate an output.