# US 2019/0167140 A1 · Basket catheter with improved spine flexibility > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0167140 A1 - Document ID: US20190167140A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/267,271 - Filed: 2019-02-04 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-31 - Assignees: Biosense Webster (Israle) Ltd. - Applicants: Biosense Webster (Israle) Ltd. - Inventors: Stuart Williams; Paul Tran; Mario A. Solis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167140A1 ## CPC - A61B 5/287: Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS] - A61B 5/6858: {with a distal basket, e.g. expandable basket} - A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)} - A61B 2018/00059: {Material properties} - A61B 2018/0016: {Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array} - A61B 2018/00267: {having a basket shaped structure} - A61B 2018/00351: {Heart} - A61B 2018/00357: {Endocardium} - A61B 2018/00577: {Ablation} - A61M 2210/125: Heart - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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)} ## Abstract A catheter with basket-shaped electrode assembly with spines configured for hyper-flexing in a predetermined, predictable manner when a compressive force acts on the assembly from either its distal end or its proximal end. At least one spine has at least one region of greater (or hyper) flexibility that allows the electrode assembly to deform, for example, compress, for absorbing and dampening excessive force that may otherwise cause damage or injury to tissue wall in contact with the assembly, without compromising the structure and stiffness of the remaining regions of the spine, including its distal and proximal regions. The one or more regions of greater flexibility in the spine allow the spine to flex into a generally V-shape configuration or a generally U-shape configuration. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough; and a basket-shaped electrode assembly at the distal end of the catheter body, the basket-shaped electrode assembly having proximal and distal ends and comprising: an expander that is longitudinally moveable relative to the catheter body; and a plurality of spines having proximal and distal ends surrounding the expander, at least one spine having an equatorial region of greater flexibility and proximal and distal regions of lesser flexibility, the basket-shaped electrode assembly being moveable by longitudinal movement of the expander between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration in which the spines bow radially outward relative to the catheter body to form a first expanded shape, the basket-shaped assembly being configured to assume a hyper-expanded configuration in response to an axial force in which the spines bend at the equatorial region of greater flexibility to thereby deform the first expanded shape, shorten a length of the basket-shaped electrode assembly and assume a V shape with an acute bend in the equatorial region of greater flexibility. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the axial force comprises a distal force exerted on the basket-shaped assembly from the distal end of the assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the axial force comprises a proximal force exerted on the basket-shaped assembly from the proximal end of the assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the at least one spine has a width dimension and a thickness dimension, and the equatorial region of greater flexibility has both a lesser width and a lesser thickness. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, wherein the equatorial region of the at least one spine comprises a first nitinol alloy, and the proximal and distal regions of the at least one spine comprise a second nitinol alloy that has a different starting austenite transformation temperature or a different ending austenite transformation temperature than the first nitinol alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The catheter of claim 5, wherein: the first nitinol alloy of the equatorial region has a first As, and the second nitinol alloy of the proximal and distal regions has a second As that is higher than the first As; and/or the first nitinol alloy of the equatorial region has a first Af, and the second nitinol alloy of the proximal and distal regions has a second Af that is higher than the first Af. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The catheter of claim 1, further comprising at least one tensile member elastically connecting adjacent spines to each other. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The catheter of claim 7, wherein the at least one tensile member is affixed to the equatorial regions of the adjacent spines. ### Claim 9 A catheter comprising: an elongated catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen therethrough; a basket-shaped electrode assembly at the distal end of the catheter body, the basket-shaped electrode assembly having proximal and distal ends and comprising: an expander that is longitudinally moveable relative to the catheter body; and a plurality of spines having proximal and distal ends surrounding the expander, at least one spine having first and second regions of greater flexibility and a mid region of lesser flexibility between the first and second regions of greater flexibility, the basket-shaped electrode assembly being movable by longitudinal movement of the expander between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration in which the spines bow radially outward relative to the catheter body to form a first expanded shape, and the basket-shaped assembly is configured to assume a hyper-expanded configuration in response to an axial force in which the spines bend at the first and second regions of greater flexibility to thereby deform the first expanded shape and assume a U shape with first and second acute bends in the first and second regions of greater flexibility. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, wherein the at least one spine further comprises: a proximal region proximal of the first and second regions and the mid region, the proximal region having lesser flexibility than the first and second regions; and a distal region distal of the first and second regions and the mid region, the distal region having lesser flexibility than the first and second regions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, wherein the at least one spine has a width dimension and a thickness dimension, and each of the first and second regions of greater flexibility has both a lesser width and a lesser thickness. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, wherein the axial force comprises a distal force exerted on the basket-shaped assembly from the distal end of the assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, wherein the axial force comprises a proximal force exerted on the basket-shaped assembly from the proximal end of the assembly. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The catheter of claim 10, wherein the first and second regions of the at least one spine comprise a first nitinol alloy, and the proximal region, the distal region and the mid region of the at least one spine comprise a second nitinol alloy that has a different starting austenite transformation temperature (As) or a different ending austenite transformation temperature (Af) than the first nitinol alloy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The catheter of claim 14, wherein: the first nitinol alloy of the first and second regions has a first As, and the second nitinol alloy of the proximal region, the distal region and the mid region has a second As that is higher than the first As; and/or the first nitinol alloy of the first and second regions has a first Af, and the second nitinol alloy of the proximal region, the distal region and the mid region has a second Af that is higher than the first Af. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, wherein the first and second regions of the at least one spine comprise a first nitinol alloy, and the mid region of the at least one spine comprises a second nitinol alloy that has a different starting austenite transformation temperature (As) or a different ending austenite transformation temperature (Af) than the first nitinol alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The catheter of claim 16, wherein: the first nitinol alloy of the first and second regions has a first As, and the second nitinol alloy of the mid region has a second As that is higher than the first As; and/or the first nitinol alloy of the first and second regions has a first Af, and the second nitinol alloy of the mid region has a second Af that is higher than the first Af. ### Claim 18 (depends on 9) The catheter of claim 9, further comprising at least one tensile member elastically connecting adjacent spines to each other. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The catheter of claim 18, wherein the at least one tensile member is affixed to the mid regions of the adjacent spines.