US 2019/0053854 A1Published application

Catheter probe navigation method and device employing opposing transducers

AssigneeBiosense Webster (Israel) Ltd.

InventorAndres Claudio Altmann

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Abstract

A probe navigation methods and devices for use in medical diagnoses and procedures are provided. A probe that is inserted in a walled area within a subject has a distal end on which at least first and second opposing transducers are mounted. The transducers track movement of the probe end with respect to the walls of the walled area. The distal end of the probe may closely approach a wall to enter an area such that the first transducer is no longer able to properly sense it, commonly referred to as a blanking region. Tracking information of the movement of the probe away from an opposing wall generated by the second transducer is then used to provide tracking of the distal end of the probe relative to the wall the first transducer is no longer able to sense.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of probe navigation within a subject comprising:

positioning a distal end of a probe in a walled area within the subject wherein the distal end includes a first and a second opposing transducers mounted thereon;
sensing a first wall within the walled area by the first transducer and an opposing wall within the walled area by the second opposing transducer;
tracking movement of the distal end of the probe towards the first wall using the first transducer and with respect to the opposing wall using the second transducer;
and
upon a condition that the distal end of the probe closely approaches the first wall where the first transducer is unable to properly sense the first wall, using tracking information of the movement of the probe with respect to the opposing wall generated by the second transducer to provide tracking of the distal end of the probe relative to the first wall whereby contact with the first wall is determinable irrespective of the inability of the first transducer to properly sense the first wall.

2 more elements

A probe navigation system for use with a subject:

a control system and associated probe configured to be operated to controllably insert and move a distal end of the probe to and within a walled area within the subject;
the distal end of the probe includes a first and a second opposing transducers mounted thereon;
the first transducer configured on the probe to sense a first wall within the walled area and the second opposing transducer configured on the probe to sense an opposing wall within the walled area;
the control system configured to track movement of the distal end of the probe towards the first wall using the first transducer and with respect to the opposing wall using the second transducer;
and
upon a condition that the distal end of the probe closely approaches the first wall where the first transducer is unable to properly sense the first wall, the control system configured to use information generated by the second transducer of the movement of the probe with respect to the opposing wall to provide tracking of the distal end of the probe towards the first wall whereby contact with the first wall is determinable irrespective of the inability of the first transducer to properly sense the first wall.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.