Flexible Ablation Catheter Tip Segments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ablation catheters face challenges in effectively reaching and creating continuous lesions on irregular tissue surfaces due to limited flexibility and inadequate tissue contact, especially in moving or vibrating tissues.

Innovation Solution

A catheter design featuring multiple flexible electrode segments with electrically nonconductive segments in between, allowing for overlapping ablation zones and enhanced flexibility, along with spring coils for resilient support and fluid lumen extensions for uniform fluid flow, to maintain continuous tissue contact and create larger lesions without increasing power settings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a single continuous flexible electrode is used, then flexibility and tissue contact are improved, but electrical isolation for segmented ablation is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoidelectrical isolation

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode is divided into multiple discrete flexible electrode segments separated by electrically nonconductive segments. This segmentation allows each electrode segment to flex independently while maintaining electrical isolation, enabling segmented ablation patterns that can better adapt to irregular tissue surfaces without requiring a single continuous electrode structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Electrically nonconductive segments are introduced as intermediary elements between conductive electrode segments. These nonconductive segments provide both mechanical flexibility and electrical isolation, serving as mediators that allow the electrode assembly to bend and conform to tissue while preventing electrical current from passing between adjacent electrode segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If nonconductive segments are made larger to ensure electrical isolation, then electrical isolation is improved, but flexibility and continuous contact are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical isolationVSAvoidflexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The length of nonconductive segments is optimized to a specific parameter range that balances electrical isolation requirements with flexibility needs. By controlling the nonconductive segment length to be sufficient for electrical isolation but not excessively long, the electrode maintains adequate flexibility to conform to irregular tissue surfaces while ensuring proper electrical separation between segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If multiple electrode segments are used to create segmented ablation, then lesion control is improved, but gaps in continuous lesions may form

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelesion controlVSAvoidcontinuous lesion

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Adjacent flexible electrode segments are positioned and sized such that their ablation zones overlap partially. This excessive action ensures that even with the presence of nonconductive segments, the ablation zones from neighboring segments extend beyond the gaps, guaranteeing continuous lesion formation while maintaining precise control over the overall lesion pattern through the segmented electrode configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

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 design enables deeper and more effective ablation on irregular surfaces, maintaining contact during heartbeats and vibrations, and facilitating the creation of continuous lesions with improved flexibility and reduced risk of coagulation.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of spring coils corresponding to the plurality of flexible electrode segments, each of the spring coils being disposed within the catheter body and supported at both ends within the catheter body to provide resilient biasing support for the corresponding flexible electrode segment

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20220354570A1Ablation catheter having flexible tip with multiple flexible electrode segments

Publication Date: 2022.11.10 ST JUDE MEDICAL LLC

AI summary

A catheter apparatus comprises an elongated catheter body having a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one fluid lumen extending longitudinally therein; and a plurality of flexible electrode segments on a distal portion of the catheter body adjacent the distal end, each pair of neighboring flexible electrode segments being spaced from each other longitudinally by a corresponding electrically nonconductive segment. Each flexible electrode segment comprises a sidewall provided with one or more elongated stiffness reductions extending through the sidewall, the one or more elongated stiffness reductions providing flexibility in the sidewall for bending movement relative to a longitudinal axis of the catheter body. The electrically nonconductive segment is substantially smaller in length than each of the corresponding pair of neighboring flexible electrode segments.