System and method for measuring force and torque applied to a catheter electrode tip

A contact sensing assembly comprising:

• a catheter including a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an electrode including a tip portion and a base portion mounted adjacent a head portion of the catheter body;
• and
• at least one sensor disposed generally adjacent the base portion for measuring compression or tensile forces applied to the electrode tip portion and providing an output signal related to the measured forces, the sensor including a predetermined sensitivity,
• wherein the base and head portions include a predetermined rigidity so that the compression or tensile forces applied to the electrode tip portion are determinable as a function of the predetermined sensitivity and the output signal.

A contact sensing assembly comprising:

• a catheter including a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an electrode pipe disposed in the catheter body;
• and
• an electrode wire disposed in the electrode pipe and including isolation thereon,
• wherein a change in capacitance resulting from movement of the electrode wire toward the electrode pipe or contact of the electrode wire with the electrode pipe during bending of the catheter directly correlates to a force applied to the catheter.

A contact sensing assembly comprising:

• a catheter including a body having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an electrode pipe operatively connected to the catheter body for at least one of movement and bending with the catheter body;
• and
• an electrode wire disposed in the electrode pipe and including isolation thereon,
• wherein a change in capacitance resulting from movement of the electrode wire toward the electrode pipe or contact of the electrode wire with the electrode pipe during bending of the catheter directly correlates to a force applied to the catheter.