Bipolar Ablation Energy Between Shorted Electrode Groups
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ablation technologies face challenges in effectively applying bipolar ablation energy to target tissues using catheters with small expandable frames and close electrode distances, which limits the formation of desired lesions during procedures like arrhythmia treatment in the heart.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a catheter with an expandable frame, multiple electrodes arranged in a radial geometry, and a switching assembly that electrically shorts selected electrodes to apply bipolar ablation pulses, including irreversible electroporation (IRE) pulses, to enhance tissue ablation efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If electrodes are arranged with close distances on small expandable frames, then the catheter can be inserted into confined spaces in the heart, but the electric field strength is insufficient to create effective lesions
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple electrodes are electrically connected in parallel within each group to merge their individual contributions. This combining of multiple electrode outputs creates a cumulative electric field effect that achieves sufficient field strength despite the small physical size and close spacing of individual electrodes on the catheter frame.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically configures electrode groupings through switching assembly that can electrically connect different electrodes in parallel based on treatment requirements. This dynamic reconfiguration allows optimization of electric field distribution and strength for different lesion formation needs while maintaining the compact catheter structure.
2Power
If multiple electrodes are used to increase electric field strength, then lesion formation improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode array is segmented into discrete groups that can be independently configured. The switching assembly divides the multiple electrodes into manageable groups, allowing complex multi-electrode configurations to be built from simpler modular units. This segmentation reduces the overall complexity by breaking down the control of many electrodes into controlled groupings.
Solution Approach 2:
The switching assembly provides universal control functionality that can configure any combination of electrodes into parallel groups based on treatment needs. This multi-functional switching capability allows the same hardware configuration to achieve different electric field patterns and strengths, reducing the need for multiple specialized electrode designs.
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 system enables effective tissue ablation by creating large enough electric fields to kill cells, improving lesion formation and treatment outcomes for arrhythmia, particularly in the heart, by optimizing electrode configuration and energy application.
Implementation Method 1
The switching assembly is electrically connected to the catheter, and is configured to electrically short between selected ones of the electrodes
Implementation Method 2
applying one or more bipolar ablation pulses between the first and second groups when the electrodes are placed in contact with a target tissue of the organ
Implementation Method 3
The catheter including an expandable frame, which is coupled to a distal end of the catheter, and multiple electrodes, which are disposed on the expandable frame in a radial geometry
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A system includes a catheter, a switching assembly, and a processor. The catheter including an expandable frame, which is coupled to a distal end of the catheter, and multiple electrodes, which are disposed on the expandable frame in a radial geometry. The switching assembly is electrically connected to the catheter, and is configured to electrically short between selected ones of the electrodes. The processor is configured, for first and second disjoint groups of the electrodes, to control the switching assembly to electrically short the electrodes within each of the first and second groups, for applying one or more bipolar ablation energy between the first and second groups when the electrodes are placed in contact with a target tissue of the organ.