# US 2019/0167360 A1 · Navigation guidance method for complex catheters

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0167360 A1
- Document ID: US20190167360A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/270,978
- Filed: 2019-02-08
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-08
- Assignees: Medtronic, Inc.
- Applicants: Medtronic, Inc.
- Inventors: Scott A. HARELAND
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190167360A1

## CPC

- A61B 34/20: Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
- A61B 5/066: {Superposing sensor position on an image of the patient, e.g. obtained by ultrasound or x-ray imaging}
- A61B 5/068: {using impedance sensors}
- A61B 5/6852: {Catheters}
- A61B 18/1492: {having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence)}
- A61B 90/37: {Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation}
- A61B 2018/00214: {Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon}
- A61B 2018/0022: {Balloons}
- A61B 2018/00345: {Vascular system}
- A61B 2034/2053: {Tracking an applied voltage gradient}
- A61B 2034/2065: {Tracking using image or pattern recognition}
- A61B 2090/365: {augmented reality, i.e. correlating a live optical image with another image}
- A61M 2025/0166: {Sensors, electrodes or the like for guiding the catheter to a target zone, e.g. image guided or magnetically guided}
- 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 method and system for determining a target location for a medical device having complex geometry relative to an anatomical feature, and for navigating and positioning the medical device at the target location. The system may include a medical device including a treatment element having a centroid, one or more navigation electrodes, and a longitudinal axis and a navigation system in communication with the one or more navigation electrodes, the navigation system including a processing unit. The processing unit may be programmed to define a plane that approximates a surface of the anatomical feature, define a centroid of the anatomical feature, define a vector that is normal to the plane and extends away from the centroid of the anatomical feature, and determine a target location for the treatment element of the medical device based on the vector to assist the user in placing the device for treatment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for positioning a medical device relative to an anatomical feature, the system comprising:
a medical device including a treatment element having a centroid, one or more navigation electrodes, and a longitudinal axis;
a navigation system in communication with the one or more navigation electrodes, the navigation system including a display, a plurality of surface electrodes in communication with the one or more navigation electrodes, and a processing unit having processing circuitry configured to:
define a plane that approximates a surface of the anatomical feature;
define a centroid of the anatomical feature;
define a vector that is normal to the plane and extends away from the centroid of the anatomical feature;
determine a target location for the treatment element of the medical device based on the vector;
compare the target location to a location of the medical device; and
cause the distance between the target location and the location of the medical device to be displayed on the display.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the treatment element is an expandable treatment element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device includes a first navigation electrode and a second navigation electrode.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the first navigation electrode is distal to the treatment element and the second navigation electrode is proximal to the treatment element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine a target location for each of the first and second navigation electrodes.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the navigation system further includes a display, the processing circuitry being further configured to display a first graphical indicator for the target location for the first navigation electrode and a display second graphical indicator for the target location for the second navigation electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the display shows the first and second graphical indicators superimposed on a three-dimensional image of the anatomical feature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein the anatomical feature is a pulmonary vein, the display showing the first graphical indicator superimposed on the three-dimensional image at a location within the pulmonary vein and showing the second graphical indicator superimposed on the three-dimensional image at a location within a left atrium.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the target location for the first navigation electrode according to the equation:
e
d
=
[
x
d
y
d
z
d
]
=
[
x
b
y
b
z
b
]
-
l
d

[
a
b
c
]
where ld is a distance between the centroid of the treatment element and the first navigation electrode.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine the target location for the second navigation electrode according to the equation:
e
p
=
[
x
p
y
p
z
p
]
=
[
x
b
y
b
z
b
]
+
l
p

[
a
b
c
]
where lp is a distance between the centroid of the treatment element and the second navigation electrode.

### Claim 11 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to display a line corresponding to the vector.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to determine the target location such that the longitudinal axis of the device lies along the vector.