Flexible High-Density Mapping Catheters for Consistent Cardiac Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrophysiology mapping catheters with rigid electrodes face challenges in maintaining consistent contact with cardiac tissue, especially on contoured surfaces, leading to inaccurate mapping and lesion formation due to erratic heartbeats and tissue undulations.
Innovation Solution
Development of flexible high-density mapping catheters with electrodes organized into cliques on splines or arms, allowing for orientation-independent electrophysiology measurements through constant electrode spacing and signal processing techniques, enabling accurate mapping and ablation despite cardiac motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rigid metallic electrodes are used in conventional mapping catheters, then structural stability is maintained, but contact consistency with cardiac tissue deteriorates due to tissue undulations and erratic heartbeats
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is designed with dynamic flexibility to adapt to the beating heart. The semi-compliant catheter body can flex and conform to cardiac motion, maintaining electrode-tissue contact during erratic heartbeats and tissue undulations, thereby resolving the contradiction between structural stability and contact consistency.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter incorporates flexible materials and thin-film structures that allow the electrode array to conform to the contoured surfaces of the heart. This flexibility enables sustained contact with cardiac tissue despite tissue movement, while the underlying catheter structure maintains sufficient rigidity for navigation and positioning.
2Ease of manufacture
If rigid electrodes are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but mapping precision deteriorates on contoured surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode array is segmented into multiple contact points distributed across the catheter tip surface. This segmentation allows different portions of the electrode array to conform to different regions of the contoured cardiac surface, improving mapping precision while maintaining a manufacturable design through modular electrode placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode array is arranged in a three-dimensional configuration on the catheter tip, allowing electrodes to contact the cardiac surface at multiple heights and angles. This dimensional arrangement enables accurate mapping on contoured surfaces by adapting to the complex geometry of the heart, while the overall catheter structure remains manufacturable.
3Reliability
If flexible catheter design is implemented, then contact sustainability is improved, but device complexity increases due to electrode organization on splines
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode array is nested within a collapsed configuration during catheter insertion, with electrodes organized on splines that fold or compress together. Upon deployment, the splines expand to provide sustained tissue contact. This nesting approach maintains contact sustainability while managing device complexity through a compact delivery profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter transitions from a compressed delivery state to an expanded operational state, with electrodes dynamically positioned to contact the cardiac surface. This dynamic transformation allows the electrode array to sustain contact during the procedure while maintaining a simpler, more manageable form during insertion and manipulation.
4Measurement precision
If high-density electrode arrays are used, then mapping accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased manipulation difficulty
Solution Approach 1:
The high-density electrode array is segmented across multiple splines or catheter segments, allowing the operator to manipulate and position different sections independently. This segmentation reduces the overall manipulation difficulty while maintaining high mapping accuracy through the distributed electrode configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter with high-density electrodes is designed to be semi-compliant and dynamically adaptable, reducing the force and precision required for manipulation compared to fully rigid high-density arrays. The flexible design allows the electrode array to self-adjust to tissue contours, easing operator manipulation while maintaining mapping accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
High-density mapping catheters with an array of mapping electrodes are disclosed. These catheters can be used for diagnosing and treating cardiac arrhythmias, for example. The catheters are adapted to contact tissue and comprise a flexible framework including the electrode array. The array of electrodes may be formed from a plurality of columns of longitudinally-aligned and rows of laterally-aligned electrodes.