Thermocouple-Array Ablation Catheter Tips for Coupling Estimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ablation catheters face challenges in accurately determining and controlling the tissue-coupling area and temperature distribution, leading to potential overheating and inadequate lesion formation during procedures.
Innovation Solution
The use of thermocouples distributed around the ablation catheter tip to measure temperature data, allowing for the estimation of tip-tissue coupling area and adjustment of ablative power to create desired lesions while preventing tissue overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If thermocouples are distributed around the ablation catheter tip to measure temperature data, then temperature distribution measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter tip is divided into multiple segments with thermocouples distributed at different locations and orientations. This segmentation allows independent temperature measurement at each point, enabling precise mapping of temperature distribution across the tissue-coupling area without requiring a single complex sensor system.
Solution Approach 2:
Temperature measurement transitions from a single-point measurement to a multi-dimensional temperature field measurement. By distributing thermocouples in three-dimensional space around the catheter tip, the system captures temperature variations across multiple spatial dimensions, enabling comprehensive temperature distribution analysis.
2Productivity
If ablative power is increased to create adequate lesions, then lesion formation effectiveness is improved, but tissue overheating risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors temperature data from distributed thermocouples and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust ablative power delivery. When temperature thresholds are approached in specific regions, the system automatically reduces power to prevent overheating while maintaining effective lesion formation in cooler areas, enabling safe and effective ablation therapy.
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
Enhances the precision of lesion creation by accurately determining the tissue-coupling area and adjusting power delivery, thereby mitigating overheating risks and ensuring effective tissue ablation.
Implementation Method 1
receiving temperature data from a plurality of thermocouples distributed about the distal tip of the ablation catheter
Implementation Method 2
generating an ablative power and transmitting the energy to the tissue through the ablation catheter tip
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to, for example, a method for determining a temperature distribution across an ablation catheter tip. The method including contacting tissue with a distal tip of an ablation catheter, receiving temperature data from a plurality of thermocouples distributed about the distal tip of the ablation catheter, and based on the received temperature data, determine a temperature distribution across the distal tip of the ablation catheter. Also disclosed is a method of controlling the temperature of an ablation catheter tip while creating a desired lesion using various energy sources and energy delivery methodologies.