Electrode catheter system and methods for using same
AssigneeIrvine Biomedical, Inc.
InventorsTho Hoang Nguyen, Hosheng Tu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for positioning an electrode catheter system having safety means at its distal section within a heart chamber comprises percutaneously introducing the distal end of a catheter through an artery or vein to the heart chamber. Once the catheter tip is at the desired location, the connector of the handle at the proximal end is connected to an EKG monitor. And the electrical signal from the electrodes on the distal section can be transmitted to the exterior EKG monitor for cardiac mapping. Alternately, the radio frequency current can be supplied to one or more of the electrodes on the distal section once an intimate contact with a tissue is achieved using the catheter of this invention.
Claims18
A method for operating an electrode catheter system within a heart chamber, the electrode catheter system comprising a catheter shaft having a distal section, a shaft distal end, a shaft proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween;
- a handle attached to the shaft proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the handle has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein a connector is secured to the proximal end of the handle;
- a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal section, wherein a tip electrode is secured at the shaft distal end of the catheter;
- and an appropriate ring with its inner diameter matching the outer diameter of the catheter shaft being secured on the outside of the shaft distal end of the catheter shaft to restrict the shaft distal end from thermal expansion during thermal cycling;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) percutaneously introducing the shaft distal end of a catheter through an artery or vein to a heart chamber;
- (b) once the catheter distal section is positioned, the connector at the proximal end of the handle is connected to an EKG monitor, wherein an electrical signal from the plurality of electrodes at the distal section is transmitted to an exterior EKG monitor for cardiac mapping.
A method for operating an electrode catheter system within a heart chamber, the electrode catheter system comprising a catheter shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween;
- a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the handle has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein a connector is secured to the proximal end of the handle;
- a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal section, wherein a "captive" tip electrode of said electrodes is secured at the distal end of the catheter shaft and said tip electrode is comprised of a ring portion, a stem portion and a cylindrical space therebetween;
- and a reduced distal end of the catheter shaft being sandwiched firmly into said space of the tip electrode to restrict said distal end from thermal expansion during thermal cycling;
- the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) percutaneously introducing the shaft distal end of a catheter through an artery or vein to a heart chamber;
- (b) once the catheter distal section is positioned, the connector at the proximal end of the handle is connected to an EKG monitor, wherein an electrical signal from the plurality of electrodes at the distal section can be transmitted to an exterior EKG monitor for cardiac mapping.
A method for operating an electrode catheter system within a heart chamber, the electrode catheter system comprising a catheter shaft having a distal section, a distal end, a proximal end, and at least one lumen extending therebetween;
- a handle attached to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein the handle has a proximal end and a distal end and wherein a connector is secured to the proximal end of the handle;
- a plurality of electrodes disposed at the distal section, wherein a tip electrode is secured at the distal end of the catheter;
- an extended stem of the tip electrode having at least one open slot in the axial direction on the stem being provided;
- and an appropriate ring with its inner diameter matching the outer diameter of the catheter shaft being secured on the outside of very distal end of the catheter shaft to restrict the distal end from thermal expansion during thermal cycling;
- the method comprising the steps of
- (a) percutaneously introducing the shaft distal end of a catheter through an artery or vein to a heart chamber;
- (b) once the catheter distal section is positioned, the connector at the proximal end of the handle is connected to an EKG monitor, wherein an electrical signal from the plurality of electrodes at the distal section can be transmitted to an exterior EKG monitor for cardiac mapping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.