Basket Catheter Electrode Layout for Multidirectional IRE Ablation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional basket catheters struggle to apply electric fields in multiple directions effectively for irreversible electroporation (IRE) ablation, leading to inefficient tissue ablation due to varying cell responses based on shape, size, and orientation.
Innovation Solution
A basket catheter with a three-dimensional arrangement of electrodes, including radial and axial electrodes, allows for bipolar and unipolar pulse application in multiple directions, guided by predefined protocols to ensure even energy dissipation and comprehensive tissue coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional basket catheters are used for IRE ablation, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to apply electric fields in multiple directions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional two-dimensional basket catheter designs to a three-dimensional electrode arrangement by adding radial electrodes on spines and axial electrodes at the tip. This multi-dimensional configuration enables electric fields to be applied in multiple directions (radially and axially) simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between directional versatility and structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is segmented into multiple functional electrode groups: radial electrodes on flexible spines and axial electrodes at the tip. This segmentation allows independent control and activation of different electrode sets, enabling complex multi-directional electric field applications while maintaining a manageable structural architecture.
2Productivity
If conventional basket catheters are used, then the device is easier to manufacture, but tissue ablation efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By adding the third dimension with axial electrodes and radial spine electrodes, the system achieves comprehensive three-dimensional tissue coverage. This enables simultaneous multi-directional ablation of tumor tissue, significantly improving productivity while the modular design keeps manufacturing feasible.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible spines with radial electrodes can be dynamically positioned and configured during the procedure to adapt to different tissue geometries. This dynamic adaptability enhances ablation efficiency across various tumor shapes and locations without requiring complex custom manufacturing for each scenario.
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional basket catheters are used, then the procedure is faster to perform, but treatment precision and consistency are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is pre-configured with a three-dimensional electrode arrangement during manufacturing, eliminating the need for time-consuming intra-procedural assembly or adjustment. The pre-positioned radial and axial electrodes are ready for immediate use, achieving both high precision and reduced procedural time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time feedback mechanisms that monitor electric field distribution and tissue response during ablation. This feedback enables dynamic adjustment of pulse parameters and electrode activation sequences, ensuring treatment precision and consistency while optimizing procedural efficiency through automated control.
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
The catheter design ensures effective and efficient IRE ablation by applying pulses in diverse orientations, reducing procedural time and errors through predefined protocols, enhancing treatment precision and consistency.
Implementation Method 1
IRE is a soft tissue ablation technique that applies short pulses of strong electrical fields to create permanent and hence lethal nanopores in the cell membrane, thus disrupting the cellular homeostasis (internal physical and chemical conditions)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A medical apparatus includes a probe, including an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient and a basket assembly, which has a proximal end that is connected distally to the insertion tube and includes a plurality of resilient spines, which are configured to bow radially outward around a longitudinal axis of the basket assembly and are conjoined at a distal end of the basket assembly. A plurality of electrodes are configured to contact tissue in the body cavity and include radial electrodes disposed on the spines and an axial electrode disposed on the longitudinal axis of the basket assembly. An electrical signal generator is configured to apply to the electrodes, including the axial electrode, pulses having an amplitude sufficient to cause irreversible electroporation (IRE) in the tissue contacted by the electrodes.