Catheter Tip Visualization Using Impedance Warping in Cardiac Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheter navigation techniques in cardiac procedures rely heavily on fluoroscopy, which exposes patients and medical staff to radiation, and lack effective visual guidance for maneuvering catheters without causing tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a distal end assembly with electrodes to track impedance and generate a distorted virtual representation of the catheter, guiding the physician to navigate away from heart walls and into void spaces using a schematic display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If fluoroscopy is used to track catheter location, then real-time imaging and navigation capability is improved, but radiation exposure to patient and medical staff increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy (electroanatomical model) of the heart chamber that replicates the anatomical structure and allows tracking of catheter position within the model. This virtual representation provides the necessary navigation information without requiring continuous fluoroscopic imaging, thereby reducing radiation exposure while maintaining situational awareness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical fluoroscopy imaging system with an electroanatomical mapping system that uses electrical signals and computer-generated models to track catheter position. This substitution eliminates the need for ionizing radiation while providing equivalent or superior navigation capabilities through the electroanatomical model.
2Reliability
If visual guidance system is implemented to guide catheter navigation, then procedural safety is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified virtual representation (electroanatomical model) of the complex heart chamber geometry. This copy provides intuitive visual guidance for catheter navigation while the underlying complexity of cardiac anatomy is handled by the mapping system, making the interface simpler and safer for operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The electroanatomical model serves as an intermediary between the physical catheter and the operator. It translates complex electrical and spatial data into an intuitive visual representation that guides catheter navigation, improving safety while managing system complexity through this intermediate layer.
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
Reduces radiation exposure by minimizing fluoroscopy usage and provides real-time visual guidance for safe catheter navigation, enhancing procedural safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A system that uses a distal end assembly with electrodes to track impedance
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and computer program product, the method comprising: obtaining electrical information from a plurality of electrodes disposed on a distal end assembly of a catheter within a heart of a patient as the catheter is being maneuvered within the heart; dynamically identifying a portion of the distal end assembly that is displaced from tissue wall of the heart, based upon the electrical information received from the plurality of electrodes; generating a visual representation of the distal end assembly; dynamically distorting the visual representation by warping (the identified portion of the distal end assembly; and rendering the visual representation as dynamically distorted to the display device.