Cardiac Mapping Catheter With Deployable Electrode Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cardiac catheters for non-contact mapping of heart electrical activity face challenges in stability, accuracy, and maneuverability, particularly during cardiac ablation procedures, due to the need for precise electrode positioning and controlled movement within the heart chamber.
Innovation Solution
A novel intravascular catheter design featuring a flexible printed circuit distal array with independent deployment and articulation mechanisms, allowing for stable and reproducible electrode placement, improved maneuverability, and enhanced accuracy through precise control of electrode geometry and position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If in-contact mapping catheters are made soft to conform to the heart chamber wall, then the catheter can accommodate wall motion and achieve intimate contact with the heart wall, but the catheter loses stability and precision in electrode positioning
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is divided into distinct functional segments: a soft compliant body for navigation and contact, and a rigid deployable array with precisely positioned electrodes. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function - the soft body conforms to the heart chamber while the rigid array maintains precise electrode geometry for accurate mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter employs a dynamic deployable array that can transition between compressed and deployed states. When deployed, the array achieves a rigid, stable configuration with precisely positioned electrodes. The deployment mechanism allows the electrode array to be positioned and held stable independent of the flexible catheter body, resolving the contradiction between softness for conformability and rigidity for positioning precision.
2Measurement precision
If non-contact mapping catheters use a rigid electrode array for stable positioning, then electrode geometry precision is improved, but the catheter loses maneuverability and ability to navigate the heart chamber
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter system is segmented into a flexible navigation portion and a rigid measurement portion. The flexible catheter body enables easy navigation through vasculature and maneuverability within the heart chamber, while the rigid deployable array provides stable, precise electrode positioning for accurate non-contact mapping.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode array transitions from a compressed flexible state during navigation to a deployed rigid state during mapping. This dynamic transformation allows the catheter to exhibit appropriate mechanical properties at different stages - flexible during insertion and maneuvering, rigid during electrode positioning and data collection.
3Measurement precision
If the electrode array is deployed into a complex precise shape for accurate mapping, then mapping accuracy is improved, but the deployment mechanism becomes more complex and difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The deployment control mechanism is extracted and concentrated in a proximal handle assembly, allowing the operator to control the complex deployment of the distal electrode array from a convenient location. The handle contains the necessary actuators and controls, separating the complexity from the distal array and making the system easier to operate.
Solution Approach 2:
A proximal handle assembly serves as an intermediary between the operator and the distal electrode array. This handle contains deployment controls that translate simple operator inputs into the complex coordinated movements required to deploy the array into its precise mapping configuration, simplifying the user interface while maintaining deployment accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If the catheter supports controlled movement of the electrode array within the chamber, then the accuracy of the non-contact map is improved, but the stability of the electrode array geometry is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter enables controlled dynamic movement of the deployed electrode array within the heart chamber while maintaining the array's rigid geometric structure. The flexible catheter body allows repositioning of the entire array, while the rigid array itself maintains stable electrode relative positions, enabling both movement for comprehensive mapping and stability for accurate measurements.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi electrode catheter for non contact mapping of the heart having independent articulation and deployment features.