Ablation Catheter with Movable Petals for Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current catheter-based pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) techniques face challenges in effectively isolating pulmonary veins due to difficulties in centering the ablation head, maintaining contact with irregular tissue surfaces, and ensuring complete electrical isolation with minimal collateral damage, particularly when accessing the right pulmonary veins.

Innovation Solution

A catheter apparatus with a flexible distal portion and independently movable ablation petals, controlled by a control handpiece, allows for precise positioning and conforming to uneven surfaces, along with a mechanism to maintain contact and deliver energy efficiently.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional catheter-based ablation approach is used, then the procedure is minimally invasive, but the ablation head cannot effectively center or maintain contact with irregular tissue surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveminimally invasive accessVSAvoidpositioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The ablation head incorporates movable petals that can dynamically adjust their position and orientation to conform to irregular tissue surfaces. The petals are capable of independent movement to maintain optimal contact with the pulmonary vein ostium, transforming a static structure into a dynamic adaptive system that solves the positioning precision problem while preserving minimally invasive access

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The ablation head utilizes flexible petal structures that can bend and conform to the irregular geometry of the pulmonary vein ostium. These flexible elements allow the catheter to adapt to tissue surface variations, maintaining effective contact for ablation delivery while preserving the minimally invasive nature of the procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of operation

If multiple control wires are used to operate the ablation head, then precise control is achieved, but wire entanglement occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol precisionVSAvoidwire entanglement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple control functions are merged into a single integrated control mechanism. The control system combines multiple wire operations into one unified control element, allowing the operator to manipulate multiple petals simultaneously through a single control input, thereby eliminating wire entanglement while maintaining precise control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The control mechanism is designed with multi-functionality, where a single control element can operate multiple petals and perform various control functions. This universal control approach reduces the number of separate control wires needed, preventing entanglement while preserving the ability to precisely control the ablation head's configuration

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If circumferential ablation is performed to ensure complete isolation, then pulmonary vein isolation effectiveness is improved, but collateral damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveisolation completenessVSAvoidcollateral damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The ablation system applies energy with local precision through individually controllable petals. Each petal can be activated independently or in selective combinations, allowing the operator to deliver ablation energy only to the specific tissue regions requiring isolation. This localized approach achieves complete pulmonary vein isolation while minimizing exposure of surrounding healthy tissue to harmful thermal effects

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

4Stability of the object's composition

If the ablation head is made rigid for stable positioning, then positioning stability is improved, but adaptability to irregular surfaces decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning stabilityVSAvoidsurface conformability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The ablation head is segmented into multiple independent petals that can move relative to each other. This segmentation allows the structure to maintain overall stability while enabling individual components to adapt to irregular surfaces. The modular design provides both the stability of a rigid framework and the conformability of flexible elements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20250107843A1Catheter system for the treatment of atrial fibrillation

Publication Date: 2025.04.03 ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY FRONTIERS SPA

AI summary

An anchored cardiac ablation uses a catheter having an ablator head having ablator elements, or petals and an anchor. The catheter is advanced in the PV and expand the anchor in the PV; the ablation head is opened once in the PV, to reach the PV walls; the ablation element is pulled back in operating position, keeping the anchor in place. When the ablation head reaches the region of the vein ostium, the diameter of the ablation elements increase, and the user stops pulling back. The ablation element is moved toward the ostium, positioning the ablation elements on the tissue to be treated; desired target tissue is ablated; the ablator and anchor are collapsed into resting positions and withdrawn from the PV.