Linear Spine Basket Assembly for Better Tissue Contact in Ablation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current catheter-based ablation technologies for cardiac arrhythmias face challenges in manufacturing complexity and cost due to the difficulty in adhering electrodes to spines and forming a spherical basket assembly, which increases manufacturing time and the risk of improper bonding or misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A medical probe with a basket assembly comprising a single unitary structure formed from a planar sheet of material, where linear spines converge at a central intersection with cutouts, allowing for a spherical or oblate-spheroid shape, and are secured by a spine retention hub, facilitating easier assembly and alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional RF ablation techniques are used with needle electrodes, then the procedure is simple, but tissue contact is poor and current delivery is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The basket assembly is divided into multiple linear spines (at least three) that can independently contact the tissue surface. Each spine functions as a separate current delivery element, allowing distributed tissue contact and improved current distribution across the target area compared to a single needle electrode.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from one-dimensional needle electrode insertion to a three-dimensional expandable basket structure. The spines extend radially outward from the central shaft, creating multiple contact points in different spatial dimensions, thereby significantly increasing tissue contact area and current delivery capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a non-expandable structure is used, then the device is simpler, but it cannot conform to curved tissue surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The basket assembly transitions from a collapsed low-profile state during insertion to an expanded configuration at the target site. This dynamic transformation allows the structure to adapt its shape and size, enabling conformation to curved tissue surfaces while maintaining simplicity during the insertion phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The linear spines are nested within or alongside the central tubular shaft during insertion, creating a compact profile. Once positioned, the spines are deployed outward from the shaft, transforming the nested configuration into an expanded basket that can conform to the tissue surface geometry.
3Area of stationary object
If electrodes are placed only at the distal end, then the structure is simpler, but tissue contact area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is segmented into multiple discrete electrodes positioned at different locations: distal electrodes at the tip of each spine and proximal electrodes near the shaft interface. This segmentation distributes the contact area across multiple points, significantly increasing total tissue contact area compared to a single distal electrode.
Solution Approach 2:
Electrodes are positioned in multiple spatial dimensions along the length of each spine, not just at the distal end. This multi-dimensional electrode distribution creates an extended contact footprint on the tissue surface, improving both contact area and current delivery distribution.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
The disclosed technology includes a medical probe comprising a tubular shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and including a proximal end and a distal end. The medical probe further comprises an expandable basket assembly proximate the distal end of the tubular shaft. The basket assembly comprises a single unitary structure that includes a plurality of linear spines formed from a planar sheet of material and one or more electrodes coupled to each of the spines, each electrode defining a lumen through the electrode so that a spine extends through the lumen of each of the one or more electrodes. The spines converge at a central spine intersection at a distal end of the basket assembly. The central spine intersection includes one or more cutouts that allows for bending of the spines. Each spine comprises a respective end connected to the distal end of the tubular shaft.