Flexible Catheter Tips With Movable Microelectrodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional mapping and ablation catheters with rigid electrodes face challenges in maintaining adequate electrical contact with cardiac tissue, especially on contoured or trabeculated surfaces, due to erratic cardiac motion.

Innovation Solution

The development of flexible high-density mapping catheter tips and map-ablate catheter tips with onboard microelectrodes, featuring a flexible framework that conforms to tissue and allows relative movement among microelectrodes, ensuring sustained contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If rigid metallic electrodes are used in conventional mapping and ablation catheters, then structural stability is improved, but electrical contact with cardiac tissue deteriorates due to inability to conform to contoured surfaces and trabeculated structures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidelectrical contact reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter tip is divided into multiple flexible segments or struts that can independently move and conform to the cardiac tissue surface. This segmentation allows the rigid metallic electrodes to be supported by a flexible structure, resolving the contradiction between structural stability and conformability for reliable electrical contact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible framework or shell structure is introduced to support the rigid metallic electrodes. This flexible framework allows the electrode array to conform to contoured and trabeculated cardiac surfaces while maintaining the structural integrity and electrical conductivity of the metallic electrodes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Manufacturing precision

If rigid electrodes are used, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to erratic cardiac motion and contoured surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrode positioning precisionVSAvoidadaptability to cardiac motion

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The catheter tip is designed with dynamic flexibility, allowing it to adapt its shape in real-time to match the contours of cardiac tissue and accommodate erratic cardiac motion. This dynamic adaptability is achieved through flexible materials and mechanisms that maintain precise electrode positioning while enabling movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The physical parameters of the catheter tip (such as flexibility, stiffness, or shape) are changed to optimize both manufacturing precision and adaptability. By carefully controlling these parameters, the catheter can maintain accurate electrode positioning during manufacturing while adapting to various cardiac surfaces and motions during use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If flexible catheter tips with movable microelectrodes are used, then electrical contact reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical contact reliabilityVSAvoidcatheter structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible catheter tip with movable microelectrodes is designed with a nested structure, where smaller components are integrated within larger ones. This nesting approach reduces overall complexity by consolidating multiple functions into a compact, organized arrangement that maintains reliability while minimizing structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

Composite materials combining flexible polymers with conductive elements are used to create the catheter tip. This composite approach integrates the flexibility needed for conformability with the electrical conductivity required for reliable contact, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS20250152932A1Flexible High-Density Mapping Catheter Tips and Flexible Ablation Catheter Tips With Onboard High-Density Mapping Electrodes

Publication Date: 2025.05.15 ST JUDE MEDICAL CARDILOGY DIV INC

AI summary

Flexible high-density mapping catheter tips and flexible ablation catheter tips with onboard high-density mapping electrodes are disclosed. These tips can be used for diagnosing and treating cardiac arrhythmias. The flexible, distal tips are adapted to conform to tissue and comprise a plurality of microelectrodes mounted to permit relative movement among at least some of the microelectrodes. The flexible tip portions may comprise a flexible framework forming a flexible array of microelectrodes (for example, a planar or cylindrical array) adapted to conform to tissue and constructed at least in part from nonconductive material in some embodiments. The flexible array of microelectrodes may be formed from a plurality of rows of longitudinally-aligned microelectrodes. The flexible array may further comprise, for example, a plurality of electrode-carrying arms or electrode-carrier bands. Multiple flexible frameworks may be present on a single device. A delivery adapter having an internal compression cone is also disclosed.