Tissue diagnosis and treatment using mini-electrodes
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsLeon Fay, Paul Hultz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example electrophysiology medical device may include a catheter shaft including a distal end portion and a sensing assembly having three or more terminals. The sensing assembly includes one or more current-carrying electrodes and one or more sensing electrodes. The one or more current-carrying electrodes, the one or more sensing electrodes, or both includes a mini-electrode. The mini-electrode is disposed on one of the other electrodes. The medical device may also include a controller coupled to the sensing assembly.
Claims20
A method for diagnosing and/or treating a condition of the heart, the method comprising:
- advancing an electrophysiology catheter through a blood vessel to a position adjacent a target site, wherein the catheter comprises:
- a distal end portion;
- at least one current-carrying electrode disposed on the distal end portion;
- and
- a sensing assembly disposed on the distal end portion, wherein a first sensing electrode of the sensing assembly is spaced apart from the at least one current-carrying electrode by a first distance, wherein a second sensing electrode of the sensing assembly is spaced apart from the at least one current-carrying electrode by a second distance, wherein the first distance is different than the second distance;
- determining a scaling factor based upon the first distance and the second distance;
- and
- determining a conductivity of the target site based upon the scaling factor.
An electrophysiology medical device, comprising:
- a distal end portion;
- at least one current-carrying electrode disposed on the distal end portion;
- a sensing assembly, disposed on the distal end portion, wherein a first sensing electrode of the sensing assembly is spaced apart from the at least one current-carrying electrode by a first distance, wherein a second sensing electrode of the sensing assembly is spaced apart from the at least one current-carrying electrode by a second distance, wherein the first distance is different than the second distance;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine a scaling factor based upon the first distance and the second distance;
- and
- determine a conductivity of the target site based upon the scaling factor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.