Basket Catheter Electrode Density via Nested Spine Expansion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrophysiology catheters face challenges in achieving high electrode density while maintaining a minimized diameter to effectively map and ablate electrical activity in the heart, particularly in regions like the left or right atrium, as increasing electrode numbers leads to an undesirable increase in catheter diameter, making it difficult to percutaneously advance and deploy within the heart chamber.
Innovation Solution
A basket-shaped electrode assembly with a high number of spines, each carrying multiple electrodes, is designed to provide increased electrode density. The assembly includes a flexible catheter body with a shape memory material expander that allows for radial expansion and contraction, enabling accurate mapping and ablation while maintaining a small diameter for insertion and deployment. The spines are configured to bow outward for expanded contact with atrial tissue and collapse for minimally invasive insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of electrodes in the electrode assembly is increased to improve mapping coverage, then the electrode density and coverage area are improved, but the overall diameter of the catheter increases making it difficult to percutaneously advance
Solution Approach 1:
The basket assembly is designed with spines that can be nested within each other in a collapsed configuration, allowing the high-density electrode array to be contained within a small diameter for percutaneous advancement. Once deployed, the spines expand outward to provide comprehensive electrode coverage of the atrial surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The basket assembly transitions from a collapsed low-profile configuration during insertion to an expanded high-surface-area configuration during mapping. This dynamic transformation allows the same structure to achieve both small insertion diameter and large electrode coverage area, resolving the contradiction between electrode quantity and catheter diameter.
2Productivity
If the number of electrodes is increased to reduce repositioning needs, then the mapping efficiency and coverage are improved, but the device complexity and lead management become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrodes are integrated onto shared spines, with electrodes positioned at different heights and angles along each spine. This merging approach allows numerous electrodes to be managed through a relatively simple spine structure rather than requiring separate lead management for each electrode, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high mapping efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode array is segmented across multiple spines arranged in a basket configuration, with each spine carrying multiple electrodes at different positions. This segmentation distributes the electrodes across a three-dimensional structure, allowing comprehensive coverage while organizing lead management through the modular spine architecture.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the basket assembly is made rigid to maintain structural stability, then the structural integrity is improved, but the ability to navigate tortuous vasculature and conform to atrial geometry is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the spines have different flexibility characteristics. The spines are designed with varying degrees of rigidity along their lengths, allowing certain sections to be more flexible for navigation and conforming, while other sections maintain sufficient rigidity to support the electrodes and maintain structural integrity during deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The spines are constructed using composite material structures that combine flexible and rigid properties. This allows the basket assembly to exhibit both the flexibility needed for navigation through tortuous vasculature and the structural stability required to maintain electrode positioning and integrity during the mapping procedure.
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
This design allows for rapid and accurate mapping of electrical activity within a single heartbeat, reducing the need for repositioning and providing comprehensive coverage with fewer measurement points, enhancing diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities during electrophysiological procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The assembly includes a flexible catheter body with a shape memory material expander that allows for radial expansion and contraction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
This disclosure is directed to a catheter having a basket-shaped electrode assembly with a high electrode density. The basket-shaped electrode assembly may have a plurality of spines, such as up to twelve, each with a plurality of electrodes, such as up to sixteen. Each spine may have cabling with embedded coiled wires such that each electrode is attached through the sheath to one of the wires.