Conformal Cardiac Electrode Array for High-Resolution Mapping and Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current devices for diagnosing and treating cardiac arrhythmias are limited by low spatial resolution, inability to precisely locate abnormal electrical activity, and require multiple catheters for mapping, pacing, and ablation, leading to inefficiency and potential tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A high-resolution, multi-function, conformal electronics device with a flexible and stretchable electrode array integrated into a balloon catheter for simultaneous mapping, localization, and therapy delivery, capable of acquiring diagnostic information and delivering electrical stimulation from the same electrode array.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple catheters are used for mapping, pacing, and ablation, then functional versatility is improved, but device complexity and procedural time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines mapping electrodes, pacing electrodes, and ablation electrodes into a single integrated catheter device. The catheter includes a shaft with multiple electrode arrays that can perform all three functions (mapping, pacing, and ablation) without requiring separate catheters, thereby reducing procedural complexity while maintaining full functional versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter is designed as a universal device that can perform multiple cardiac electrophysiology functions. The same catheter structure incorporates electrodes capable of electrical mapping, pacing stimulation, and radiofrequency ablation, allowing a single device to replace multiple specialized catheters.
2Ease of operation
If traditional mapping catheters are used, then ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to low spatial resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter incorporates multiple discrete electrode arrays along its shaft, with each array containing multiple individually addressable electrodes. This segmentation of the electrode surface into numerous small sensing elements provides high spatial resolution for mapping electrical activity while maintaining the overall simplicity of catheter insertion and operation.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a high resolution, multi-function, conformal electronics device generally having a flexible and stretchable, high-density electrode array, integrated with a catheter (e.g., balloon catheter) for mapping, ablating, pacing and sensing of cardia tissue associated with heart arrhythmias. The active sensing electrode array can acquire diagnostic information including electrical (e.g., electrograms), mechanical (e.g., strain measurements), impedance (e.g., resistance), metabolic (e.g., pH or NADH measurement) from the underlying heart tissue surface with which it is in contact. The electrode array may be designed to be of various sizes and shapes to conform to the targeted cardiac tissue architecture (e.g. atrial, ventricle, right ventricular outflow tract, coronary sinus, pulmonary veins, etc.) corresponding to the specific type of cardiac arrhythmia. The present invention can precisely locate the source of arrhythmia as described above and deliver therapy from the same electrode array. This is achieved using a capacitive sensing electrode array that can not only monitor but also deliver electrical stimulation.