High-Density Electrode Layout for Precise Cardiac Lesion Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional transducer-based intra-bodily-cavity devices have limited transducer density, complicating lesion formation and anatomical feature mapping during intravascular or percutaneous surgeries, particularly in treating atrial fibrillation, due to difficulties in creating accurate lesions and lack of direct visual contact with the medical devices.
Innovation Solution
A high-density arrangement of transducers within a medical device system, including a structure with elongate members and electrodes, allows for precise positioning and discrimination between tissue and blood, enabling effective lesion formation and anatomical feature mapping by employing blood flow detection, impedance change detection, and deflection force detection, with the ability to treat and stimulate tissue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional transducer-based devices are used, then device complexity is reduced, but transducer density and measurement precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into multiple elongate members, each carrying multiple transducers. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high transducer density while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture, where each elongate member can be independently positioned and controlled.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional single-plane transducer arrays to multi-plane three-dimensional arrangements. By distributing transducers across multiple elongate members in three-dimensional space, the system achieves higher effective transducer density and better spatial sampling without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
2Manufacturing precision
If high-density transducer arrangement is implemented, then lesion formation precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ablation function is segmented across multiple transducers distributed on elongate members. This allows precise lesion formation by selectively activating specific transducers while maintaining overall system manageability through modular control of each elongate member's transducer array.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the multi-plane transducer array can be independently activated to create lesions with precise spatial control. The system applies local quality by enabling selective activation of transducers in specific three-dimensional regions to form lesions exactly where needed, rather than requiring uniform activation across the entire array.
3Measurement precision
If multiple detection methods are employed, then tissue discrimination accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple detection modalities (impedance sensing, force detection, blood flow detection) into an integrated system where all sensors are incorporated on the same elongate members. This merging approach improves tissue discrimination accuracy by providing multiple measurement types simultaneously while managing complexity through unified sensor integration rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The elongate members serve multiple functions: they provide structural support, carry multiple transducers for ablation, and incorporate various sensors (impedance, force, blood flow detection). This multi-functionality reduces overall device complexity by consolidating multiple capabilities into single components rather than requiring separate systems for each function.
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 high-density transducer arrangement enhances the precision and effectiveness of lesion creation and anatomical mapping, improving surgical outcomes by ensuring accurate placement relative to cardiac features like pulmonary veins and mitral valves, thereby addressing the limitations of conventional devices.
Implementation Method 1
employ characteristics such as blood flow detection, impedance change detection or deflection force detection to discriminate between blood and tissue
Implementation Method 2
employ characteristics such as blood flow detection, impedance change detection or deflection force detection to discriminate between blood and tissue
Implementation Method 3
employ characteristics such as blood flow detection, impedance change detection or deflection force detection to discriminate between blood and tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device system is disclosed including a high-density arrangement of transducers, which may be configured to ablate, stimulate, or sense characteristics of tissue inside a bodily cavity, such as an intra-cardiac cavity. High-density arrangements of transducers may be achieved, at least in part, by overlapping elongate members on which the transducers are located, and varying sizes, shapes, or both of the transducers, especially in view of the overlapping of the elongate members. Also, the high-density arrangements of transducers may be achieved, at least in part, by including one or more recessed portions in an elongate member in order to expose one or more transducers on an underlying elongate member in a region adjacent an elongate-member-overlap region.