# US 11,998,310 B2 · Medical device with multi-core fiber for optical sensing

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- Number: US 11,998,310 B2
- Document ID: US11998310B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/819,247
- Filed: 2022-08-11
- Published: 2023-02-02
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-01-07
- Assignees: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à r.l.
- Applicants: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à r.l.
- Inventors: Yu Liu; John W. Sliwa; Jiayin Liu; Giovanni Leo; Troy T. Tegg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998310B2

## CPC

- A61B 5/065: {Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe}
- G01K 7/02: using thermoelectric elements, e.g. thermocouples
- A61B 5/0245: by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals}
- A61B 5/6852: {Catheters}
- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61M 25/0147: {with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires}
- G01K 11/3206: at discrete locations in the fibre, e.g. using Bragg scattering
- G01K 13/20: Clinical contact thermometers for use with humans or animals
- G01L 1/246: {using integrated gratings, e.g. Bragg gratings}
- A61B 2018/00029: {open}
- A61B 2018/00172: {Connectors and adapters therefor}
- A61B 2018/00351: {Heart}
- A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation}
- A61B 2018/00642: {with feedback, i.e. closed loop control}
- A61B 2018/00791: {Temperature}
- A61B 2018/00839: {Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG}
- A61B 2018/00988: {Means for storing information, e.g. calibration constants, or for preventing excessive use, e.g. usage, service life counter}
- A61B 2018/1465: {Deformable electrodes}
- A61B 2034/2061: {using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings}
- A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension}
- A61B 2218/002: Irrigation
- A61B 2562/223: Optical cables therefor
- A61B 2562/225: Connectors or couplings
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01K: MEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (radiation pyrometry G01J5/00)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)

## Abstract

A medical device, system, and method having a flexible shaft and a multi-core fiber within the flexible shaft. The multi-core fiber includes a plurality of optical cores dedicated for shape sensing sensors, and a plurality of optical cores dedicated for force sensing sensors. A medical device flexing structure assembly can comprise a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores, and a flexing structure comprising at least one slot. Each of the plurality of cores can comprise a fiber Bragg grating, and the flexing structure can be configured to bend in response to a force imparted on the flexing structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tip assembly coupled to a distal end of a catheter body, the catheter tip assembly comprising:
a flexing structure configured to bend in response to an external force;
an electrode adjacent the flexing structure, the electrode comprising:
a distal end wall; and
a longitudinally extending inner wall intersecting with the distal end wall,
wherein the distal end wall and the inner wall define a cavity; and
a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores and a distal end, wherein each of the plurality of cores extends from a proximal end to the distal end of the multi-core fiber, wherein at least one of the plurality of cores comprises a fiber Bragg grating and is configured to sense a shape of the flexing structure,
wherein the distal end of the multi-core fiber is disposed within the cavity and is in contact with a surface of the distal end wall of the electrode, and
wherein a distal end of the fiber Bragg grating is disposed within the cavity and is spaced apart from the distal end wall of the electrode.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cores includes a core configured to sense a force imparted on the flexing structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The assembly of claim 2, wherein the core configured to sense the force uses different optical sensing from the fiber Bragg grating.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the plurality of cores includes a common core configured to sense the shape of the flexing structure and a force imparted on the flexing structure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The assembly of claim 4, wherein the common core includes shape sensing gratings and force sensing gratings, the shape sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a first frequency, and the force sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexing structure comprises a deformation mechanism.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein an end surface of the plurality of cores is amalgamated.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the plurality of cores is crushed.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the multi-core fiber comprises a first set of gratings and a second set of gratings, the first set of gratings configured to be bent, and the second set of gratings configured to be axially compressed.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The assembly of claim 1, wherein the multi-core fiber comprises three shape sensing cores.

### Claim 11

A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tip assembly coupled to a distal end of a catheter body, the catheter tip assembly comprising:
a flexing structure configured to bend in response to an external force;
a catheter tip adjacent the flexing structure, the catheter tip comprising:
a distal end wall; and
a longitudinally extending inner wall intersecting with the distal end wall,
wherein the distal end wall and the inner wall define a cavity; and
a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores and a distal end, wherein each of the plurality of cores extends from a proximal end to the distal end of the multi-core fiber, wherein at least one of the plurality of cores comprises a fiber Bragg grating and is configured to sense a shape of the flexing structure,
wherein the distal end of the multi-core fiber is disposed within the cavity and is in contact with a surface of the distal end wall of the catheter tip.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the plurality of cores includes a core configured to sense a force imparted on the flexing structure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The assembly of claim 12, wherein the core configured to sense the force uses different optical sensing from the fiber Bragg grating.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the plurality of cores includes a common core configured to sense the shape of the flexing structure and a force imparted on the flexing structure.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The assembly of claim 14, wherein the common core includes shape sensing gratings and force sensing gratings, the shape sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a first frequency and the force sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the flexing structure comprises a deformation mechanism.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein an end surface of the plurality of cores is amalgamated.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein a distal end of the plurality of cores is crushed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the multi-core fiber comprises a first set of gratings and a second set of gratings, the first set of gratings configured to be bent, and the second set of gratings configured to be axially compressed.

### Claim 20 (depends on 11)

The assembly of claim 11, wherein the multi-core fiber comprises three shape sensing cores.