Balloon Catheter Contact Feedback for Cardiac Ablation Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
It is difficult for physicians to ascertain proper alignment and contact quality of balloon catheters during cardiac ablation procedures, leading to incomplete lesions and potential blood coagulation hazards.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface (GUI) displays contact quality indicators using traffic light icons based on electrical impedance and temperature measurements, ensuring proper alignment and contact of balloon catheter electrodes with tissue before and after ablation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If balloon catheter alignment and contact quality are not monitored, then the procedure is simpler and faster, but incomplete lesions and blood coagulation hazards occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a monitoring system that provides real-time feedback on balloon catheter alignment and electrode contact quality during the ablation procedure. The system measures contact quality indicators and displays them to the operator, enabling continuous adjustment to maintain optimal contact and prevent incomplete lesions or blood coagulation hazards.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical alignment verification methods with electrical measurement-based contact quality assessment. By measuring electrical contact quality indicators between electrodes and tissue, the system provides reliable alignment and contact information without requiring complex mechanical positioning systems.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If contact quality indicators are monitored in real-time, then ablation safety improves, but the procedure time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs contact quality assessment before initiating the ablation procedure to ensure proper balloon catheter alignment and electrode-tissue contact. By verifying contact quality in advance, the system prevents blood coagulation hazards and incomplete lesions without requiring continuous monitoring during the actual ablation, thus minimizing procedure time extension.
3Measurement precision
If multiple contact quality parameters are measured, then measurement accuracy improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides contact quality assessment into multiple independent measurement parameters, each evaluating a specific aspect of electrode-tissue contact. By segmenting the measurement into distinct electrical contact quality indicators, the system achieves comprehensive and accurate contact assessment while maintaining modular system architecture that limits overall complexity.
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
Ensures safe and effective ablation by providing real-time feedback on electrode contact and alignment, preventing incomplete lesions and blood coagulation risks.
Implementation Method 1
measuring one or more individual contact quality indicators with respect to a contact between the multiple electrodes and a tissue
Implementation Method 2
measuring one or more individual contact quality indicators with respect to a contact between the multiple electrodes and a tissue
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for medical treatment includes a probe including multiple electrodes and configured to be inserted in a body cavity of a patient so as to bring the multiple electrodes into contact with tissue in the body cavity. A processor is configured to assess one or more individual contact quality indicators with respect to the contact between each of the multiple electrodes and the tissue, to compute one or more global contact quality measures based on the individual contact quality indicators of the multiple electrodes, to compare the one or more global contact quality measures to a predefined global contact quality criterion, and to display on a display screen an icon indicating whether the global contact quality measures satisfy the predefined global contact quality criterion.