Ablation catheter electrode having multiple thermal sensors and method of use
AssigneeSt. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc.
InventorsHuisun Wang, Hong Cao, Jeremy D. Dando
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Abstract
The invention relates to electrodes used in ablation catheter devices, where the electrodes contain two or more thermal sensors at different positions within the electrode that are capable of detecting temperature differences along the external surface of the electrode. In preferred embodiments, the thermal sensors are separated by one or more thermal insulating members and the thermal sensors are positioned near the external surface of the electrode at about the same distance from the end of the electrode, so that temperature measurements can indicate the position of the electrode with respect to the tissue desired to be ablated.
Claims20
A catheter, comprising:
- an elongated catheter shaft body having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a fluid tube extending through the catheter shaft body from the proximal end to the distal end;
- an electrode assembly attached to the distal end of the catheter shaft body, the electrode assembly including at least one fluid egress port in fluid communication with the fluid tube to thereby define a fluid path;
- and
- at least two thermal sensors disposed in the electrode assembly,
- wherein the at least two thermal sensors are thermally insulated from the fluid path, and
- wherein the at least two thermal sensors are positioned on a plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongated catheter shaft body.
A catheter, comprising:
- a catheter body having a distal end configured for insertion into a body of a patient and containing a lumen for conveying an irrigation fluid;
- a tip including an electrode attached to the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the tip has an outer surface perforated by multiple apertures and defines a hollowed core region in fluid communication with the lumen of the catheter body so as to permit the irrigation fluid from the lumen to flow out of the tip through the apertures;
- and
- a plurality of temperature sensors, which are mounted proximate the outer surface of the tip, and which are thermally insulated from the irrigation fluid in the hollowed core region.
A catheter, comprising:
- a catheter body;
- an electrode coupled to a distal end of the catheter body, the electrode having an outer surface;
- and
- a plurality of thermal sensors disposed within the electrode and spaced apart from the outer surface of the electrode along a virtual circumferential line,
- wherein each thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors is thermally isolated from every other thermal sensor of the plurality of thermal sensors.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.