Bend-responsive catheter
AssigneeBiosense, Inc.
InventorBen-Haim Shlomo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention is an invasive probe apparatus including flexible elongate probe (20) having a distal portion adjacent to a distal end (22) thereof for insertion into the body of a subject, which portion assumes a predetermined curve form when a force is applied thereto. First and second sensors (28, 30) are fixed to the distal portion of the probe (20) in known positions relative to the distal end (22), which sensors generate signals responsive to bending of the probe. Signal processing circuitry (36) receives the bend responsive signals and processes them to find position and orientation coordinates of at least the first sensor (28), and to determine the locations of a plurality of points along the length of the distal portion of the probe.
Claims30
Invasive probe apparatus for use with an externally-applied magnetic field, the probe comprising:
- a flexible, elongate probe, having a distal portion adjacent to a distal end thereof, for insertion into the body of a subject, which portion assumes a predetermined, curved form when a force is applied thereto;
- a first sensor and a second sensor, fixed to the distal portion of the probe in known positions relative to the distal end, which sensors generate signals, the first sensor being a magnetic-field responsive sensor as a first position-sensing element for generating a first signal to enable determination of position and orientation coordinates of the first position-sensing element, said first signal defining a position and orientation coordinate signal, and the second sensor being a bend-sensing element for generating a second signal responsive to bending of the probe, said second signal defining a bend signal;
- and
- signal processing circuitry, which receives the position and orientation coordinate signal and the bend signal and processes them to find position and orientation coordinates of at least the first sensor and to determine the locations of a plurality of points along the length of the distal portion of the probe.
A method for determining the course of an elongate, flexible probe inside the body of a subject through the use of an externally-applied magnetic field, comprising:
- generating an externally-applied magnetic field;
- finding position and orientation coordinates of a point on the probe using at least one magnetic field responsive sensor on the probe;
- measuring a bending angle of a portion of the probe adjacent to the point;
- and
- processing the position and orientation coordinates and the bending angle to determine the locations of a plurality of points along the length of a portion of the probe inside the body.
A catheter comprising:
- an elongated member;
- a proximal position sensor on a distal end of the member;
- a distal position sensor on the distal end and spaced a distance from the proximal position sensor, the proximal position sensor and the distal position sensor generating signals to enable determination of position coordinates of the proximal position sensor and the distal position sensor respectively;
- and
- a bend portion between the proximal position sensor and the distal position sensor, wherein position coordinates of the proximal position sensor and the distal position sensor are used to determine a radius of curvature for the bend portion, the radius of curvature defining an arc and the bend portion following the arc upon a bending of the bend portion such that a position of any point on the bend portion can be determined.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.