Cardiac Mapping Probe Velocity Analysis for Slow Pathway Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cardiac mapping techniques struggle to effectively identify and display slow pathways in the heart, which are often responsible for reentrant arrhythmias, making it difficult to target treatment strategies accurately.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize a mapping probe to sense cardiac electrical signals, process them to determine signal features and conduction characteristics, and generate a cardiac map with annotations that highlight slow pathways, allowing for focused treatment of arrhythmias by identifying areas with abnormal conduction velocities or gradients.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional cardiac mapping techniques are used to map electrical activity in the heart, then comprehensive electrical data can be collected, but slow pathways responsible for reentrant arrhythmias cannot be effectively identified or displayed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveidentification accuracy of slow pathwaysVSAvoidvisibility of slow pathways
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of conduction velocity by calculating it from activation times and displaying it on the cardiac map. This allows slow pathways to be identified through velocity thresholds, transforming invisible electrical patterns into visible anatomical features on the map.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension of conduction velocity information to the traditional cardiac map display. By overlaying velocity data and annotations on the anatomical map, slow pathways become visually distinguishable through color coding and graphical markers, enhancing the informational density of the display.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If comprehensive electrical signals are measured at multiple positions, then detailed cardiac electrical activity data is obtained, but the data processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of electrical signal dataVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential feature of conduction velocity from the comprehensive electrical signal data. By calculating velocity from activation times and displaying selective annotations, the system filters out redundant information while preserving the critical slow pathway data needed for arrhythmia identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by selectively displaying only certain signal features that meet velocity criteria rather than processing and displaying all possible electrical signal characteristics. This reduces processing complexity while maintaining diagnostic effectiveness for identifying slow pathways.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3389475B1Automatic mapping using velocity information
Publication Date: 2020.07.15 BOSTON SCIENTIFIC SCIMED INC
  • EP3389475B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3389475B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3389475B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

Systems for facilitating display of cardiac mapping information include a mapping probe configured to sense cardiac electrical signals. The systems also include a processing unit configured to receive the cardiac electrical signals; determine signal features; and determine conduction characteristics. The processing unit also is configured to generate, based on the signal features and the corresponding conduction characteristics, a cardiac map.