Arcuate Catheter End Section for Annular Tissue Contact
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lasso catheters are difficult to maneuver and position within the heart for effective pulmonary vein isolation, as they often fail to maintain contact with the entire circumference of the tissue surface, leading to inefficiencies in ablation procedures.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design featuring a resilient end section with an obliquely oriented arc, centered on the insertion shaft's axis, allowing for simultaneous contact of multiple electrodes along the arc and enabling annular path tracing without additional steering mechanisms, facilitated by a helical form that maintains contact pressure and includes position transducers for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a straight catheter configuration is used, then the catheter is easy to insert, but it cannot maintain contact with the entire circumference of the tissue surface
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates an arcuate end section that defines an arc oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis, with the arc centered on the axis. This curved configuration enables the catheter to naturally conform to the circumferential geometry of pulmonary veins and maintain contact with the entire circumference of the tissue surface during rotation, eliminating the need for complex steering mechanisms while improving tissue contact reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The arcuate end section is pre-formed with a specific geometric configuration (arc centered on the longitudinal axis) before insertion. This preliminary shaping allows the catheter to automatically assume the correct orientation and contact configuration upon insertion and rotation, enabling circumferential tissue contact without requiring active steering or manipulation during the procedure
2Reliability
If complex steering mechanisms are added to maintain tissue contact, then tissue contact reliability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces complex active steering mechanisms with a passive geometric solution - an arcuate end section where the arc is centered on the longitudinal axis. This curvature geometry inherently maintains tissue contact during rotation through pure rotational motion, eliminating the need for complex steering mechanisms while ensuring reliable circumferential tissue contact
Solution Approach 2:
The arcuate configuration enables the catheter to self-maintain tissue contact during rotation without external control. The geometric design ensures that as the catheter rotates about its longitudinal axis, the arcuate end section naturally remains engaged with the circumferential tissue surface, making the tissue contact maintenance function self-regulating rather than requiring active steering control
3Productivity
If multiple electrodes are positioned along the catheter, then ablation coverage increases, but maintaining simultaneous contact with tissue becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The arcuate end section with arc centered on the longitudinal axis positions multiple electrodes along the curved path. When the catheter rotates about its axis, this geometric configuration ensures that all electrodes on the arc simultaneously contact the circumferential tissue surface, enabling both wide ablation coverage and reliable simultaneous electrode-tissue contact
Solution Approach 2:
The invention combines multiple electrodes along the arcuate end section into a single integrated structure that contacts tissue simultaneously. The arc geometry merges the function of multiple discrete contact points into a unified circumferential contact interface, allowing all electrodes to engage the tissue at the same time during rotation, thereby achieving both extensive coverage and synchronized contact
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A medical device includes an insertion shaft, having a longitudinal axis and having a distal end adapted for insertion into a body of a patient. A resilient end section is fixed to the distal end of the insertion shaft and is formed so as to define, when unconstrained, an arc oriented obliquely relative to the axis and having a center of curvature on the axis. One or more electrodes are disposed at respective locations along the end section.