Hyper-Apertured Ablation Electrode for Tissue Thickness Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ablation technologies face challenges in efficiently creating transmural lesions in cardiac tissue while minimizing damage to adjacent structures and preventing blood clotting, particularly due to limitations in estimating tissue thickness and controlling ablating current properties.
Innovation Solution
The development of a hyper-apertured ablation electrode with a distal face shaped to define a large number of apertures, allowing for ultrasound wave transmission and reflection to estimate tissue thickness, passing ablating current through the apertures, and irrigating fluid to prevent clotting, while also sensing electrical activity and shielding the ultrasound transducer from mechanical forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a traditional ablation electrode with a solid distal face is used, then the structure is simple and manufacturing is easy, but the ability to transmit ultrasound waves for tissue thickness estimation is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The distal face of the ablation electrode is designed with a hyper-apertured structure containing multiple small holes, allowing ultrasound waves to pass through while maintaining the electrode's ablative function. This porous configuration enables tissue thickness measurement via ultrasound transmission without requiring a completely separate measurement device.
Solution Approach 2:
The distal face is segmented into multiple apertures rather than being a solid surface. This segmentation allows different regions of the distal face to serve dual purposes: the apertures transmit ultrasound waves for thickness measurement while the surrounding material conducts ablating current for tissue ablation.
2Measurement precision
If the distal face is made thin to allow ultrasound transmission, then measurement capability improves, but mechanical strength and shielding capability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The hyper-apertured distal face uses a pattern of multiple small holes that maintains structural integrity while allowing ultrasound transmission. The distributed aperture pattern provides mechanical strength through the remaining material while creating sufficient acoustic pathways for effective ultrasound wave passage.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of reducing thickness in one dimension to improve ultrasound transmission, the solution adds complexity in the two-dimensional plane by creating a pattern of apertures. This approach maintains adequate thickness for mechanical strength while providing multiple pathways for ultrasound wave transmission.
3Productivity
If a large number of apertures are created in the distal face, then ultrasound transmission and fluid irrigation improve, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hyper-apertured structure with multiple small holes mimics a porous material configuration that can be manufactured using specialized techniques. The regular pattern and consistent dimensions of the apertures allow for reproducible manufacturing while achieving high fluid irrigation efficiency and ultrasound transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
Complex mechanical machining of individual apertures is replaced with alternative manufacturing approaches such as laser drilling, electrical discharge machining, or forming processes that can efficiently create multiple apertures with consistent dimensions, reducing the overall manufacturing precision burden.
4Measurement precision
If the total aperture area is increased for better ultrasound transmission, then measurement capability improves, but the area available for ablating current delivery decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The distal face is segmented into numerous small apertures distributed across the surface. This segmentation allows the cumulative aperture area to be sufficient for ultrasound transmission while the remaining surface area between apertures provides adequate contact area for ablating current delivery to the tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the distal face have different functional qualities: the apertures are optimized for ultrasound transmission and fluid irrigation, while the surrounding material regions are optimized for electrical conduction and thermal ablation. This local differentiation allows both functions to operate effectively simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables precise control of ablating current properties based on tissue thickness, reduces the risk of damaging adjacent structures, and effectively prevents blood clotting during cardiac ablation procedures.
Implementation Method 1
at least one ultrasound wave is transmitted, from at least one ultrasound transducer disposed within a cavity of the ablation electrode, through the apertures. In response to reflections of the ultrasound wave received by the transducer, a thickness of tissue of the patient is estimated.
Implementation Method 2
In response to reflections of the ultrasound wave received by the transducer, a thickness of tissue of the patient is estimated.
Implementation Method 3
lesions, which are not electrically conductive, are formed in cardiac tissue. The lesions disrupt abnormal electrical pathways in the tissue
Implementation Method 4
Ablation may be used to treat, for example, supraventricular tachycardia, Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, ventricular tachycardia, and atrial fibrillation.
Implementation Method 5
effectively prevents blood clotting during cardiac ablation procedures
Data Source
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AI summary
Ablation apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes an ablation electrode shaped to define a cavity thereof, and comprising a metallic distal face that is shaped to define a plurality of apertures. A fluid-delivery channel is configured to deliver fluid to the apertures. At least one ultrasound transducer is disposed within the cavity of the ablation electrode, the transducer being configured to transmit an ultrasound wave through the apertures. Other embodiments are also described.