Fabric Electrode Head for Cardiac Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ablation catheters face challenges in maintaining uniform contact with cardiac tissue, leading to inadequate lesion formation due to heart movement and rigid electrode designs that do not conform to contoured surfaces, and suffer from issues like tissue charring and fluid cooling obstruction.
Innovation Solution
A tissue electrode head incorporating electrically conductive fabric that can interface with cardiac tissue, providing flexible and adaptable electrical energy exchange, with adjustable porosity for fluid flow and conductivity, and potentially incorporating sensors for monitoring and lesion characterization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional rigid electrode designs are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to contoured cardiac surfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid electrode structures with flexible fabric electrodes that can conform to the contoured surfaces of cardiac tissue. The fabric material allows the electrode to adapt to irregular anatomical geometries while maintaining structural integrity, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and adaptability to curved surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode design incorporates flexible, dynamic materials that can move and deform with the beating heart rather than remaining rigid. This dynamic adaptability allows continuous contact with cardiac tissue despite heart movement, solving the problem of maintaining contact while preserving manufacturing precision through controlled flexibility.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional rigid catheters are used, then structural stability is improved, but uniform contact with moving cardiac tissue deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid catheter structure is replaced or supplemented with flexible fabric electrodes that can dynamically adjust to cardiac tissue movement. This flexibility ensures uniform contact across the electrode surface while the underlying catheter structure maintains positional stability, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and contact reliability.
3Productivity
If high power electrical energy is applied, then lesion formation speed is improved, but tissue charring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric electrode incorporates porous structures that facilitate fluid flow and heat dissipation during high-power ablation. The porosity allows cooling fluids to penetrate and remove excess heat, enabling faster lesion formation while preventing tissue charring through improved thermal management.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the electrode interface by using fabric material with specific porosity and surface properties. This allows optimization of electrical energy delivery and thermal characteristics, enabling controlled high-power ablation that forms lesions quickly without causing harmful charring.
4Quantity of substance
If fabric porosity is increased for fluid flow, then fluid management is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The fabric electrode utilizes porous materials with optimized pore structures that balance fluid permeability and electrical conductivity. The porous architecture allows sufficient fluid flow for cooling and tissue contact while maintaining continuous conductive pathways through the fabric, resolving the contradiction between fluid management and electrical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode employs composite fabric structures combining materials with different properties to achieve both high porosity for fluid flow and adequate electrical conductivity. The composite construction allows simultaneous optimization of fluid management and electrical performance through material selection and structural design.
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
Enhances the formation of consistent and effective ablation lesions by maintaining uniform contact and reducing tissue charring, while improving fluid management and electrical coupling, thus addressing the limitations of conventional catheters.
Implementation Method 1
At least part of this fabric is electrically conductive... electrical energy may be exchanged with patient tissue via the fabric
Implementation Method 2
The fabric may be porous... a flow of an appropriate fluid may be provided past and/or through the electrode head
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode head is disclosed that utilizes electrically conductive or dissipative fabric to exchange electrical energy with tissue. This electrode head may be used for any appropriate application, such as a catheter electrode, a return electrode, or the like. Any appropriate function may be provided by this electrode head, such as tissue ablation, tissue mapping, or providing an electrical ground.