Wireless Temperature Sensor for Ablation Catheter Maneuverability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional wired temperature monitoring systems in ablation catheters add bulk, stiffness, and limitations to catheter maneuverability, restricting real-time, active monitoring of tissue temperatures during procedures like renal nerve ablation for hypertension treatment.
Innovation Solution
An ablation catheter system with a wireless temperature sensor that includes temperature sensing elements, circuitry for measurement, a transmitter for wireless data transmission, and a controller for coordinating therapy and sensing, allowing for real-time temperature monitoring without the need for physical wires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If wired temperature sensors are used in ablation catheters, then temperature monitoring capability is achieved, but catheter maneuverability and flexibility deteriorate due to added bulk and stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the temperature sensing function from the mechanical wire structure by implementing a wireless temperature sensor that transmits data without physical connections. This removes the disturbing wire components that caused bulk and stiffness, thereby resolving the contradiction between temperature monitoring capability and catheter maneuverability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical wire-based temperature transmission system with a wireless electromagnetic signal transmission system. This substitution eliminates the need for physical wires extending through the catheter, maintaining temperature monitoring capability while preserving catheter flexibility and maneuverability.
2Measurement precision
If multiple temperature sensors are installed in the catheter, then temperature monitoring coverage is improved, but catheter size and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless temperature sensor system provides multi-point temperature monitoring capability without requiring separate wired connections for each sensor. The wireless architecture allows multiple sensing elements to be integrated into the catheter structure without proportionally increasing overall complexity, as they share common wireless communication infrastructure.
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
Enables efficient and precise temperature monitoring during ablation procedures, improving therapy effectiveness by providing instantaneous feedback for adjusting energy delivery and minimizing tissue injury, while maintaining catheter performance and maneuverability.
Implementation Method 1
at least one temperature sensing element configured to sense a temperature-dependent parameter
Implementation Method 2
a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a signal including at least one of the sensed parameter and the computed temperature
Implementation Method 3
In radio frequency (RF) ablation, RF energy is directed from the ablation electrode through tissue to ablate the tissue and form a lesion
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein, among other things, are methods and apparatus related to ablation catheters with wireless temperature sensing. The present subject matter provides an ablation catheter system including an ablation transducer and a wireless temperature sensor. The wireless temperature sensor includes at least one temperature sensing element configured to sense a temperature-dependent parameter, circuitry configured to measure the sensed parameter and compute a temperature, a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit a signal including at least one of the sensed parameter and the computed temperature, and a power supply. A controller is provided to coordinate timing of ablation therapy and sensing of the wireless temperature sensor, in various embodiments.