System and method for localizing medical instruments during cardiovascular medical procedures

A position sensing system, comprising:

• a first localization field generator;
• a second localization field generator;
• an antenna reference instrument, a distal portion of the antenna reference instrument adapted to be introduced minimally invasively into a living coronary sinus of a beating heart of a subject, the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument including a first localization sensor compatible with the first field generator and a second localization sensor compatible with the second localization field generator, and having an adjustable deflection when located within the living coronary sinus;
• a roving instrument adapted to be introduced into a thorax cavity of the subject, the roving instrument including a third localization sensor compatible with the second field generator;
• and
• a control unit configured to:
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument located within the living coronary sinus, determine position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument based on a signal from the first field generator sensed by the first localization sensor when the first localization sensor is disposed within the coronary sinus;
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument located within the living coronary sinus, measure a difference between the second localization sensor and the third localization sensor;
• and
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument located within the living coronary sinus, calibrate the measured difference using the determined position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument to determine position coordinates of the roving instrument.

A position sensing system, comprising:

• a first localization field generator;
• a second localization field generator;
• an antenna reference instrument, a distal portion of the antenna reference instrument being adapted to be introduced minimally invasively into a living coronary sinus of a heart of a subject, the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument including a first sensor compatible with the first field generator and a second sensor compatible with the second field generator, the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument having an adjustable deflection when located within the living coronary sinus;
• a roving instrument adapted to be introduced into a cavity of the subject, the roving instrument including a third sensor compatible with the second field generator;
• and
• a control unit configured to perform the following steps when the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument is disposed in the coronary sinus of the heart of the subject:
• determine first position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument based on a first signal sensed by the first sensor when the first sensor is disposed within the coronary sinus;
• determine second position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument based on a second signal sensed by the first sensor when the first sensor is disposed within the coronary sinus;
• identify a reference shift of the antenna reference instrument when a comparison of the first position coordinates to the second position coordinates exceeds a predefined threshold;
• measure a difference between the second sensor of the antenna reference instrument and the third sensor of the roving instrument;
• and
• in response to the identified reference shift, calibrate the measured difference using the determined second position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument to determine position coordinates of the roving instrument.

A position sensing system, comprising:

• a first localization field generator;
• a second localization field generator;
• an antenna reference instrument, a distal portion of the antenna reference instrument adapted to be introduced minimally invasively into a moving coronary sinus of a living heart of a subject, the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument including a first sensor compatible with the first field generator and a second sensor compatible with the second field generator, the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument having an adjustable deflection such that the first sensor and the second sensor are deflectable relative to each other;
• at least one medical instrument adapted to be introduced into the thorax cavity of the subject, the at least one medical instrument including a third sensor compatible with the second field generator;
• and
• a computerized control system configured to:
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument disposed within the moving coronary sinus, determine first position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument based on a signal from the first field generator sensed by the first sensor when the first sensor is disposed within the moving coronary sinus;
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument disposed within the moving coronary sinus, determine second position coordinates of the antenna reference instrument based on signals sensed by the second sensor of the antenna reference instrument when the second sensor of the antenna reference instrument is disposed within the moving coronary sinus;
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument disposed within the moving coronary sinus, measure a difference between the second sensor and the third sensor;
• and
• with the distal portion of the antenna reference instrument disposed within the moving coronary sinus, calculate the position of the medical instrument based on the measured difference and the first position coordinates.