# US 11,998,404 B2 · Medical apparatus system having optical fiber load sensing capability

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- Number: US 11,998,404 B2
- Document ID: US11998404B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/193,864
- Filed: 2021-03-05
- Published: 2021-09-16
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2005-03-04
- Assignees: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à r.l.
- Applicants: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à R.L.
- Inventors: Giovanni Leo; Nicolas Aeby; Daniele Inaudi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998404B2

## CPC

- A61B 90/98: using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
- A61B 5/0066: {Optical coherence imaging}
- A61B 5/0084: {for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters (A61B5/1459 takes precedence)}
- A61B 5/02007: {Evaluating blood vessel condition, e.g. elasticity, compliance}
- A61B 5/6852: {Catheters}
- A61B 5/6885: {Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure}
- A61B 90/06: {Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for}
- A61B 90/96: using barcodes
- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 2017/00039: {Electric or electromagnetic phenomena other than conductivity, e.g. capacity, inductivity, Hall effect}
- A61B 2017/00053: {Mapping}
- A61B 2017/00084: {Temperature}
- A61B 2034/2061: {using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings}
- A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes}
- A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure}
- A61B 2090/397: {electromagnetic other than visible, e.g. microwave}
- A61B 2562/0266: Optical strain gauges
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

An apparatus and method for diagnosis or treatment of a vessel or organ. The apparatus includes a deformable body such as a catheter having a tissue ablation end effector and an irrigation channel in fluid communication therewith. At least two sensors are disposed within a distal extremity of the deformable body, the sensors being responsive to a wave in a specified range of frequency to detect deformations resulting from a contact force applied to the distal extremity. A microprocessor can be operatively coupled with the sensors to receive outputs therefrom, the microprocessor being configured to resolve a multi-dimensional force vector corresponding to the contact force. In one embodiment, the sensors are fiber Bragg grating sensors, and the wave is injected into the fiber Bragg grating strain sensors from a laser diode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method to determine a force, comprising:
generating a plurality of signals by a plurality of optical fiber sensors located at a distal end of a catheter, the plurality of signals corresponding to wavelength changes measured by the plurality of optical fiber sensors;
receiving, by a processor, the plurality of signals from the plurality of optical fiber sensors;
processing, by the processor, the plurality of signals to determine a contact force applied to the catheter, the contact force comprising a three-dimensional force vector; and
outputting a force signal indicative of the contact force.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the three-dimensional force vector comprises a normal force in a z-axis direction, a transverse force in at least one of an x-axis or a y-axis direction, and an angle of application of the transverse force.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving specific information pertaining to the catheter.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, wherein the specific information comprises calibration information acquired during a calibration step and stored in a memory of the catheter.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the calibration information comprises a force conversion matrix.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein outputting the force signal comprises outputting a graphic including a representation of a magnitude and a direction of a transverse force applied to the distal end of the catheter.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a temperature of the distal end of the catheter by changes in the plurality of signals received from the plurality of sensors.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein processing the plurality of signals further comprises accounting for changes in temperature at the distal end of the catheter.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein processing the plurality of signals comprises a continuous process and outputting the force signal comprises a continuous process such that the force signal can be used to guide or control a use of the catheter.

### Claim 10

A system for determining a force, comprising:
a console connectable to communicate signals with a catheter and comprising a processor, and
wherein the console is configured to receive an output of an optical fiber sensor positioned at a distal end of the catheter, the output indicative of wavelength changes measured by the optical fiber sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to calculate a contact force from the output of the sensor, the contact force comprising a three-dimensional force vector, and wherein the console is configured to output a force signal indicative of the contact force.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the optical fiber sensor comprises at least two optical fiber sensors.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the console is further configured to receive specific information pertaining to the catheter.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system according to claim 12, wherein the specific information comprises calibration information acquired during a calibration step and stored in a memory of the catheter.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the three-dimensional force vector comprises a normal force in a z-axis direction, a transverse force in at least one of an x-axis or a y-axis direction, and an angle of application of the transverse force.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the force signal comprises a graphic including a representation of a magnitude and a direction of a transverse force applied to the distal end of the catheter.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to determine a temperature of the distal end of the catheter by tracking changes in the output received from the optical fiber sensor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The system according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured to account for changes in temperature at the distal end of the catheter by tracking changes in the output received from the sensor.