Balloon Catheter Coil for Position and Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small-diameter balloon catheters face challenges in incorporating sensors for real-time high-resolution position and temperature sensing due to their compact size, which is crucial for procedures like cardiac ablation.
Innovation Solution
A catheter design featuring an inflatable balloon with electrodes and coils, where the coils are patterned on a flexible printed circuit board, serving as both magnetic position sensors and temperature detectors, allowing for accurate position tracking and temperature measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If small-diameter balloon catheters are used, then the invasiveness is reduced and patient comfort is improved, but the ability to incorporate sensors for position and temperature sensing is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple sensor functions (magnetic position sensing and temperature detection) into a single integrated coil structure on the balloon surface. The coil serves dual purposes: detecting magnetic fields for position tracking and sensing temperature changes, thereby reducing the number of separate components needed in the small-diameter catheter
Solution Approach 2:
The coil element is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - it acts as both a magnetic field sensor for position determination and a temperature sensor. This multi-functionality allows the small-diameter catheter to maintain comprehensive sensing capabilities without requiring separate dedicated sensors for each parameter
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are incorporated into the balloon, then position and temperature sensing precision is improved, but the balloon diameter increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates magnetic position sensing and temperature sensing into a single coil structure, eliminating the need for separate sensor components. This merging allows high-resolution sensing of both position and temperature without increasing the balloon diameter, as one compact multi-functional sensor replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate sensors
Solution Approach 2:
The coil is constructed as a thin, flexible structure that can be conformally deposited on the balloon surface. This thin-film approach minimizes the space required for sensor incorporation while maintaining sensing precision, allowing the balloon to remain small-diameter while still achieving high-resolution position and temperature measurements
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
Enhances the quality of high-resolution sensing and ablation by providing precise position and temperature data, improving the accuracy and effectiveness of small-diameter balloon catheters in medical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The coil includes a magnetic sensor, which is configured to sense the magnetic field for sensing the position of the catheter in the organ
Implementation Method 2
The coil includes a resistance temperature detector (RTD), which is configured to output the signal indicative of the temperature of the tissue
Implementation Method 3
The catheter includes one or more thermocouples, which are coupled to the surface of the inflatable balloon, and are configured to output an additional signal indicative of the temperature of the tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter includes an inflatable balloon for insertion into an organ of a patient, one or more electrodes and a coil. The one or more electrodes are disposed on a surface of the inflatable balloon and are configured to be placed in contact with tissue of the organ, and to perform at least one of: (i) sensing one or more electrical signals from the tissue, and (ii) applying one or more ablation pulses to the tissue. The coil is disposed on the surface of the inflatable balloon, and is configured to output a signal indicative of at least one of: (i) a temperature of the tissue, and (ii) a magnetic field indicative of a position of the catheter in the organ.