Mapping and Ablation Catheter with Sliding Spine Sleeve

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cardiac ablation procedures require multiple catheters for mapping and ablation, prolonging surgery time and increasing patient recovery time due to the need for multiple access points and transeptal punctures.

Innovation Solution

A medical probe with an inner catheter shaft and an outer sleeve, featuring an ablation electrode and a plurality of spines with mapping electrodes, allows for simultaneous mapping and ablation by sliding the sleeve to extend either the mapping or ablation components distally or proximally, enabling a single catheter to perform both functions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple catheters are inserted for mapping and ablation, then mapping precision and ablation capability are improved, but surgery time and patient recovery time are prolonged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemapping precisionVSAvoidsurgery time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines mapping electrodes and ablation electrode onto a single catheter body, integrating two previously separate functions into one device. This allows both mapping and ablation to be performed through a single access point, thereby reducing surgery time while maintaining mapping precision and ablation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The catheter is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a mapping catheter and an ablation catheter. The mapping electrodes can detect electrophysiological signals for creating anatomical maps, while the ablation electrode can deliver energy to ablate tissue, making the device universal for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple catheters are inserted for mapping and ablation, then functional capability is improved, but device complexity and number of access points are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefunctional capabilityVSAvoidnumber of catheters
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple catheter functions into a single integrated device, reducing the number of separate catheters needed from two or more to just one. This simplifies the overall device complexity while preserving all necessary functional capabilities for both mapping and ablation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The single catheter is designed to perform multiple functions: mapping electrodes for signal detection, ablation electrode for tissue ablation, and navigation capabilities. This multi-functional design reduces the need for multiple specialized catheters, thereby reducing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If multiple transeptal punctures are performed for catheter access, then mapping and ablation access are improved, but patient recovery time and procedural risk are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecatheter accessVSAvoidrecovery time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables both mapping and ablation procedures to be accessed through a single transeptal puncture by integrating both functions into one catheter. This eliminates the need for additional punctures that would otherwise be required to introduce separate mapping and ablation catheters, thereby reducing recovery time and procedural risk.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4574074A1Mapping and ablation catheter
Publication Date: 2025.06.25 BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD
  • EP4574074A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4574074A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4574074A1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

The disclosed technology includes a medical probe configured for mapping and ablation of tissue. The medical probe comprises an inner catheter shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and an ablation electrode disposed at a distal end of the inner catheter shaft. The ablation electrode can be configured to deliver ablative energy to tissue. The medical probe further includes an outer sleeve disposed at least partially around the inner catheter shaft and extending along the longitudinal axis and comprising a plurality of spines disposed at a distal end of the outer sleeve. Each spine of the plurality of spines can comprise a mapping electrode configured to detect electrophysiological signals. The outer sleeve can be configured to move axially along the inner catheter shaft to move the plurality of spines axially with respect to the ablation electrode.