Ablation Lesion Transmurality Assessment via Mechanical Stiffness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ablation treatments face challenges in accurately assessing the transmurality of ablation lesions during cardiac ablation procedures, particularly in clinical environments, due to limitations in measuring tissue damage and determining when sufficient tissue destruction has occurred to prevent arrhythmias.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a mechanical probe with sensors to measure mechanical responses of cardiac tissue, determining systolic and diastolic stiffness values, and calculating a transmurality value based on these measurements to assess the depth of ablation lesions in real-time, allowing for immediate feedback to the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional ablation treatments are used, then ablation lesions can be formed to disrupt electrical pathways, but accurate real-time assessment of lesion transmurality is not achievable in clinical environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional imaging-based assessment methods with a mechanical sensing approach. A force sensor directly measures mechanical properties (stiffness, compliance) of the cardiac tissue at the lesion site, providing real-time transmurality assessment without requiring complex imaging equipment. This mechanical substitution enables accurate measurement in clinical environments where imaging is impractical.
Solution Approach 2:
The ablation catheter integrates the force sensor directly at the treatment site, allowing the same device that creates the lesion to also assess it. The sensor measures tissue mechanical properties immediately after ablation, enabling self-assessment without requiring separate imaging equipment or additional procedural steps.
2Reliability
If ablation therapy is performed to create transmural lesions, then stray electrical signals can be blocked, but collateral tissue damage is difficult to control without accurate transmurality measurement
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensor provides real-time feedback on tissue mechanical properties during and after ablation. The system continuously monitors stiffness changes and provides feedback to the operator, enabling dynamic adjustment of ablation parameters to achieve complete transmurality while minimizing collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The force sensor measures baseline mechanical properties of healthy cardiac tissue before ablation begins. This preliminary characterization establishes a reference for comparing post-ablation tissue properties, enabling the operator to determine when sufficient tissue destruction has occurred to achieve transmurality without excessive damage.
3Manufacturing precision
If ablation procedures are extended to ensure sufficient tissue destruction, then transmurality may be achieved, but procedure time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
Real-time mechanical sensing provides continuous feedback on lesion depth and transmurality status during ablation. This enables the operator to terminate the procedure as soon as sufficient tissue destruction is achieved, avoiding unnecessary extension of ablation time and energy delivery while ensuring complete transmurality.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical sensing approach provides immediate assessment of lesion characteristics without requiring repeated imaging or extended observation periods. This rapid mechanical evaluation accelerates the decision-making process for procedure termination, reducing overall procedure time compared to conventional assessment methods.
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
Enables real-time assessment of ablation lesion transmurality, facilitating more effective procedures by reducing arrhythmia recurrence and minimizing unnecessary procedures, as operators can determine when a transmural lesion has been formed.
Implementation Method 1
The mechanical probe includes at least one sensor configured to measure a mechanical response of the target cardiac tissue site to the mechanical force
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein is a system for assessing ablation lesions. The system includes an ablation catheter configured to ablate a target cardiac tissue site to form an ablation lesion thereon, and a mechanical probe operable to impart mechanical force to the target cardiac tissue site. The mechanical probe includes at least one sensor configured to measure a mechanical response of the target cardiac tissue site to the mechanical force. The system further includes a controller communicatively coupled to the mechanical probe, and configured to determine systolic and diastolic stiffness values of the target cardiac tissue site based on the mechanical response. The controller is further configured to determine a transmurality value of the ablation lesion based on the determined systolic and diastolic stiffness values.