Deformable Catheter Electrode for Deeper Lesions Without Steam Pops
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catheters face challenges in creating deeper lesions in thicker heart tissues without increasing the catheter size, leading to issues like undesirable steam pops and limited tissue contact area.
Innovation Solution
A catheter probe with a flexible, elastically deformable electrode that expands to provide a larger tissue contact area, featuring a hollow porous tube with a preshaped bulbous configuration and a coupling member responsive to axial and angular forces, allowing for increased contact without enlarging the catheter's distal section.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If higher RF energy is used to create deeper lesions in thicker heart tissues, then lesion depth is improved, but undesirable steam pops occur
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode transitions from a rigid structure to a dynamically deformable one that can change its configuration based on tissue contact. The elastically deformable electrode allows controlled deformation to increase contact area, distributing RF energy more evenly and reducing localized overheating that causes steam pops while maintaining effective lesion depth.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical state and mechanical properties of the electrode from rigid to elastically deformable. This parameter change allows the electrode to adapt its shape and contact area with the tissue, enabling deeper lesions through increased contact area rather than increased RF energy, thus avoiding steam pops.
2Manufacturing precision
If electrode/tissue contact area is increased to create deeper lesions, then lesion depth is improved, but catheter size must be increased
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode is designed to be elastically deformable, allowing it to expand its contact area with tissue through controlled deformation rather than requiring a larger initial structure. This dynamic adaptation enables increased contact area while maintaining a compact catheter size for vascular access.
Solution Approach 2:
The deformable electrode can be collapsed or retracted within the catheter body when not in use, allowing the large contact area capability to be nested within a small catheter profile. This enables the electrode to provide extensive tissue contact when deployed while maintaining a small catheter size for insertion through blood vessels.
3Stability of the object's composition
If rigid catheter tip is used for ablation, then structural stability is maintained, but tissue conformance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode transitions from a rigid to an elastically deformable structure that can dynamically adapt to tissue contours while maintaining structural integrity. The elastic deformation allows the electrode to conform to irregular tissue surfaces, improving contact and ablation effectiveness without sacrificing overall structural stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs an elastically deformable electrode that functions as a flexible structure capable of conforming to tissue surfaces. This flexible design allows the electrode to adapt to the three-dimensional contours of heart tissue, improving tissue conformance while maintaining sufficient structural stability through elastic recovery and controlled deformation.
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
The deformable electrode enhances tissue contact area, enabling deeper lesions with improved tissue conformance and reduced collateral damage, while maintaining a small catheter size and facilitating efficient RF energy delivery and irrigation.
Implementation Method 1
an elastically deformable electrode configured to adopt a neutral configuration and a tissue contact configuration. The deformable electrode comprising a hollow porous tube with a distal portion having a closed distal end, and a proximal portion defining an opening to an interior of the tube
Implementation Method 2
The deformable electrode comprising a hollow porous tube with a distal portion having a closed distal end, and a proximal portion defining an opening to an interior of the tube
Data Source
AI summary
A catheter probe configured with a capability to present a larger tissue contact area or “footprint” for larger, deeper lesions, without increasing the french size of the catheter, especially its distal section, includes an elastically deformable electrode configured to adopt a neutral configuration and a tissue contact configuration. The deformable electrode comprising a hollow porous tube with a distal portion having a closed distal end, and a proximal portion defining an opening to an interior of the tube, where the distal tip end is received in the tube through the opening and the distal section is generally surrounded by tube, with the proximal portion being affixed to an outer surface of the distal section. In some embodiments, the closed distal end is shaped with a bulbous portion that can spread and widen to provide a larger surface contact area.