Curved Flexible Catheter Framework for Cardiac Mapping

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional catheters with rigid electrodes face challenges in maintaining adequate electrical contact with cardiac tissue, especially on contoured or trabeculated surfaces and during erratic heartbeats, leading to inconsistent lesion formation and mapping accuracy.

Innovation Solution

A curved high-density electrode mapping catheter with a flexible framework and microelectrodes that conform to tissue, maintaining uniform spacing and stability despite cardiac motion, utilizing a tether system to adjust the framework's curvature and maintain consistent electrode positioning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rigid electrodes are used in conventional catheters, then structural stability is improved, but contact consistency with cardiac tissue deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcontact consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter tip is designed with a flexible framework that can dynamically adapt its shape to conform to the beating cardiac tissue surface, allowing the electrodes to maintain consistent contact despite tissue motion and irregular heartbeats

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter incorporates a flexible framework with curved geometry that can bend and conform to the contoured or trabeculated surfaces of the heart, enabling the electrodes to maintain reliable electrical contact with the tissue

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of manufacture

If rigid electrodes are used in conventional catheters, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but mapping precision deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidmapping precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter tip features a pre-formed curved framework that naturally conforms to the spherical or contoured surfaces of the heart, improving mapping precision by ensuring consistent electrode-tissue contact across curved anatomical surfaces

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Strength

If rigid electrodes are used in conventional catheters, then structural strength is improved, but adaptability to tissue surface deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoidadaptability to tissue surface

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter is divided into distinct segments: a rigid shaft for structural strength and navigation, and a flexible tip portion with curved framework for adaptability to the tissue surface, allowing each segment to perform its specialized function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible tip portion can dynamically change its configuration to adapt to the beating and contoured tissue surface, while the rigid shaft maintains structural strength for safe navigation and positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11642063B2Curved high density electrode mapping catheter

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 ST JUDE MEDICAL CARDILOGY DIV INC

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a medical device. The medical device can include a catheter shaft that includes a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter shaft defining a catheter shaft longitudinal axis. A flexible tip portion can be located adjacent to the distal end of the catheter shaft, the flexible tip portion comprising a flexible framework, wherein the flexible framework is curved about a transverse framework axis that is disposed transverse to the catheter shaft longitudinal axis without application of a force external to the medical device. A plurality of microelectrodes can be disposed on the flexible framework and can form a flexible array of microelectrodes adapted to conform to tissue.