Flexible-Circuit Ablation Catheter Tip for Force and Temperature Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ablation therapies for cardiac arrhythmias require precise control of RF energy delivery and contact pressure to avoid excessive tissue damage while ensuring effective lesion formation, as inadequate pressure can reduce therapy efficacy and excessive pressure can cause permanent cardiac muscle damage.
Innovation Solution
An ablation catheter tip with a deformable body for force sensing and high thermal sensitivity monitoring, incorporating a conductive shell, structural member, and manifold for irrigant distribution, along with flexible electronic circuits for real-time feedback and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ablation catheter applies sufficient contact pressure to ensure effective lesion formation, then therapy efficacy is improved, but excessive pressure may cause permanent cardiac muscle damage
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates a force sensing system with a deformable body and sensor assembly that provides real-time feedback on contact force. The sensor assembly detects deformation of the deformable body caused by tissue contact, converting mechanical deformation into electrical signals that indicate the force applied to the tissue. This feedback enables the system to monitor whether the applied pressure is sufficient for effective ablation or excessive causing damage, allowing for real-time adjustment of RF energy delivery parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical measurement of contact force with an optical sensing system. Instead of using mechanical force sensors or load cells that physically contact the tissue, the system uses a deformable body with optical sensors (such as fiber optic sensors or capacitive sensors) that detect mechanical deformation through optical field changes. This substitution allows non-contact measurement of force while maintaining sensitivity to tissue interaction forces.
2Reliability
If the ablation catheter uses rigid electronic circuits for stable signal transmission, then signal reliability is improved, but the catheter cannot accommodate tissue deformation and force variations
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter employs flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) instead of rigid PCBs for signal transmission. The FPCB is a thin, flexible substrate that can bend and deform elastically to match the movement of the catheter tip relative to the tissue. This flexible circuit maintains electrical connections between components while accommodating the mechanical deformation caused by tissue contact and catheter manipulation, preventing signal interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic circuitry is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The flexible circuit board allows the relative positions of electronic components to change as the catheter interacts with tissue. The system accommodates motion between different parts of the catheter assembly (such as the tip moving relative to the shaft) while maintaining functional connectivity, enabling the system to adapt to varying operational conditions.
3Measurement precision
If the catheter tip uses high thermal sensitivity materials for real-time temperature monitoring, then temperature control precision is improved, but the thermal mass increases and response time may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional thermal mass-based temperature sensing with optical sensing methods. Instead of relying on large thermal mass materials to store and report temperature changes, the system uses optical sensors (such as fiber optic temperature sensors, capacitive temperature sensors, or fluorescent temperature indicators) that detect temperature through optical property changes. This substitution enables real-time temperature monitoring with minimal thermal mass, as the sensors detect temperature directly without requiring significant heat capacity.
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
Facilitates consistent force application and temperature regulation, improving lesion uniformity and therapy efficacy by ensuring optimal energy transfer and minimizing tissue damage.
Implementation Method 1
a deformable body in the ablation catheter tip. The deformable body deforms in response to forces being exerted upon a distal end of the ablation catheter tip
Implementation Method 2
high thermal sensitivity monitoring of an ablation catheter tip, the sensed temperature indicative of a targeted tissue temperature
Implementation Method 3
an ablation catheter imparts ablative energy to cardiac tissue to create a lesion in the cardiac tissue... The ablation catheter may utilize ablative energy including, for example, radio frequency (RF)
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, a high-thermal-sensitivity ablation catheter tip with force measurement capability. More specifically, various aspects of the present disclosure are directed to improving the deformation consistency of the ablation catheter tip in response to various forces, and thereby improving force measurement accuracy of an ablation catheter system.