Method and system for treatment of atrial fibrillation and other cardiac arrhythmias

Abstract

A method is provided for treatment of a heart arrhythmia such as atrial fibrillation that includes obtaining cardiac image data using a digital imaging system, generating a 3D model of a cardiac chamber and surrounding structures from such cardiac image data, registering the 3D model with an interventional system, visualizing this registered 3D model on the interventional system, positioning a catheter apparatus within the cardiac chamber, visualizing the catheter apparatus over the registered 3D model of the cardiac chamber upon the interventional system, navigating the catheter apparatus within the cardiac chamber utilizing this registered 3D model, and delivering biological material through the catheter apparatus to heart tissue at select locations within the cardiac chamber. Preferably, the biological material are transplanted cells or antibodies. In another aspect of the invention, a system for treatment of heart arrhythmias is provided that has a digital imaging system to obtain cardiac image data, an image generation system to generate a 3D model of a cardiac chamber and its surrounding structures from this cardiac image data, a workstation to register the 3D model onto an interventional system so that the registered 3D model can be visualized upon the interventional system, and a catheter apparatus to deliver biological material such as transplanted cells or antibodies to heart tissue within this cardiac chamber at certain select locations, the catheter apparatus being visualized upon the interventional system over the registered 3D model.

Description

field of invention [0001] The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for treating atrial fibrillation and other cardiac arrhythmias, and in particular to methods and systems for delivering biological substances to the atria of the heart. Background of the invention [0002] Atrial fibrillation is a cardiac arrhythmia in which the atria or upper ventricles stop contracting due to fibrillation. Atrial premature contractions (extrabeats) from the pulmonary veins can act as a trigger, leading to the onset of atrial fibrillation. The use of ablation therapy in many patients is limited by the complex three-dimensional geometry of the left atrium, the inability to reproducibly induce premature beats, and the inability to precisely identify the entry or junction of the pulmonary veins and the left atrium. There is also a risk of complications such as stroke, bleeding around the heart, narrowing of the pulmonary veins during radiofrequency catheter ablation. [...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The use of ablation in many patients is limited by the complex three-dimensional geometry of the left atrium, the inability to reproducibly induce premature beats, and the inability to precisely identify the entry or junction of the pulmonary veins and the left atrium

There is also a risk of complications such as stroke, bleeding around the heart, narrowing of the pulmonary veins during radiofrequency catheter ablation

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