Mapping catheter with flex panel electrode assembly

An apparatus for performing electrophysiological mapping comprising:

• (a) a catheter assembly having a proximal end and a distal end, the catheter assembly defining a longitudinal axis, the catheter assembly including an outer sheath with a distal end;
• and
• (b) an end effector associated with the distal end of the catheter assembly, the end effector comprising a panel assembly comprising:
• (i) a common flexible circuit substrate,
• (ii) a plurality of spines extending along and attached to the common flexible circuit substrate, the plurality of spines being connected to each other at their proximal ends and unconnected from each other at their distalmost ends,
• (iii) a plurality of microelectrodes positioned along the plurality of spines and configured to sense potentials in tissue, and
• (iv) a control wire attached to the plurality of spines, the plurality of spines being connected to each other at their proximal ends via the control wire, the control wire being configured to adjust a tension within the plurality of spines to thereby flex the common flexible circuit substrate,
• the end effector being operable to transition between a first state, a second state, and a third state,
• the panel assembly being configured to fit within the outer sheath in the first state,
• the panel assembly being configured to extend distally from the distal end of the outer sheath in the second state with the panel assembly collapsed inwardly toward the longitudinal axis, and
• the panel assembly being configured to adopt a flat, planar configuration in the third state.