Ablation Catheter With Separated Electrodes for Deeper Tissue Penetration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ablation methods for persistent atrial fibrillation face challenges in achieving sufficient ablation depth while minimizing damage to surrounding tissues, particularly due to the limitations of bipolar and unipolar ablation techniques, which either fail to penetrate deeply or cause excessive stimulation to non-target areas.
Innovation Solution
An ablation catheter design featuring a support framework with a conducting portion and an electrode unit positioned on the distal and proximal ends, respectively, allowing for a larger electric field coverage and concentrated ablation energy distribution, while minimizing current flow through non-target tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If bipolar ablation method is used, then stimulation to surrounding tissues is reduced, but ablation depth is insufficient and cannot form transmural damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional bipolar ablation (both electrodes on catheter) to unipolar ablation (one electrode on catheter, one on patient's body surface), fundamentally changing the electrical field configuration. This dimensional change in electrode placement enables deeper tissue penetration while the larger catheter electrode area distributes current to reduce focal stimulation intensity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies key parameters including electrode area (larger catheter electrode), voltage (higher voltage capability up to 5000V), and current distribution pattern. These parameter changes enable the unipolar configuration to achieve both deep penetration and reduced harmful stimulation through optimized energy delivery.
2Manufacturing precision
If unipolar ablation method is used, then ablation depth is sufficient to reach deeper areas, but stimulation to ablation target is excessive causing damage to aorta and esophagus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the catheter electrode area larger than the body surface electrode area. This creates an asymmetric current distribution where the current density is higher at the body surface (larger area) and lower at the catheter tip (smaller area), concentrating ablation energy where needed while reducing stimulation to surrounding tissues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the voltage parameter (up to 5000V) and electrode area ratio to control current density distribution. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves sufficient penetration depth while the larger catheter electrode area distributes current to minimize focal stimulation intensity on sensitive structures.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If electrode area is increased to reduce current density and stimulation, then coverage range increases but ablation energy concentration decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates asymmetric electrode areas with the catheter electrode being larger than the body surface electrode. This local quality difference ensures that current density remains concentrated at the catheter tip where ablation is needed, while the larger body surface electrode distributes current to reduce overall stimulation intensity.
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 design enhances ablation depth and reduces stimulation to the body by dispersing the electrodes on the support framework, ensuring deeper tissue penetration with focused energy delivery and minimizing muscle stimulation.
Implementation Method 1
The conducting portion is capable of connecting one pole of an energy generator, and the electrode unit is capable of connecting another pole of the energy generator, so that ablation energy output by the energy generator is transferred to a target tissue region through a cooperation of the conducting portion and the electrode unit
Implementation Method 2
the electric field formed between the conducting portion and the electrode unit will be larger, allowing the electric field to diffuse to deeper areas
Implementation Method 3
ablation energy output by the energy generator is transferred to a target tissue region
Implementation Method 4
most of the current between the positive and negative electrodes only exists at positions near the support framework and does not flow through the skeletal muscles in the back and other areas
Data Source
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AI summary
This application discloses an ablation catheter (100, 300, 500, 600, 700, 800), including a catheter body (10) and a support framework (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) provided at a distal end of the catheter body (10). The support framework (201, 202, 203, 204, 205) includes a connecting frame (301, 302, 303, 304, 305) and a bearing frame (401, 402, 403, 404, 405) being provided distally relative to the connecting frame (301, 302, 303, 304, 305). A distal end of the connecting frame (301, 302, 303, 304, 305) is connected to a proximal end of the bearing frame (401, 402, 403, 404, 405), and a proximal end of the connecting frame (301, 302, 303, 304, 305) is connected to the distal end of the catheter body (10). A conducting portion (31, 32) is provided on the connecting frame (301, 302, 303, 304, 305), an electrode unit (41, 43, 45) insulated from the conducting portion (31, 32) is provided on the bearing frame (401, 402, 403, 404, 405), wherein an electrode area of the electrode unit (41, 43, 45) is less than that of the conducting portion (31, 32). The conducting portion (31, 32) can be connected to one pole of an energy generator, and the electrode unit (41, 43, 45) can be connected to another pole of the energy generator, so that ablation energy output by the energy generator is transferred to a target tissue region through the cooperation of the conducting portion (31, 32) and the electrode set (41, 43, 45).