Cardiac electrode catheter and method of manufacturing same

An electrode catheter comprising:

• a plurality of wire leads wherein each wire lead is continuous and has a coiled electrode, an insulated portion and a terminal end;
• and
• a tube with a proximal end, a distal end, an exterior surface and a central cavity and a plurality of staggered holes;
• wherein said insulated portions of said wire leads are disposed within said central cavity;
• wherein said coiled electrodes coil around said exterior surface of said tube near said distal end and said wire leads extend into said cavity through said holes;
• and
• wherein said terminal ends extend outwardly of said proximal end.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads, said tube having an external surface;
• and
• inserting said wire leads on said tube so that said coil electrodes are on said external surface and said insulated portions are within said tube;
• further comprising the step of coupling the coils of each coiled electrode to each other.

A method of manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode, an insulated portion and a terminal end;
• preparing a tube with a longitudinal slit and a tapered end to receive said wire leads;
• combining said wire leads with said tube by staggering said wire leads into a collection of wire leads and inserting said collection of wire leads into said tapered end of said tube while simultaneously passing said tapered end through said coiled electrodes;
• coupling the coils of each said coiled electrode;
• attaching a tip member to said tube after removing said tapered end;
• and
• shaping said electrode catheter into a flexible geometric shape for use within a cardiac chamber.

A method of manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode, an insulated portion and a terminal end;
• preparing a tube with angled holes to receive said wire leads;
• combining said wire leads with said tube by inserting said wire leads through said holes and entraining said wire leads down the length of said tube with a pressurized air or fluid flow;
• coupling the coils of each said coiled electrode;
• attaching a tip member to said tube;
• and
• shaping said electrode catheter into a flexible geometric shape for use within a cardiac chamber.

An electrode catheter comprising:

• a plurality of wire leads, each wire lead having a continuous coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• and
• a tube with an exterior surface and a central cavity and a plurality of holes disposed longitudinally along said outer surface, at least some of said holes being circumferentially offset from adjacent holes;
• wherein said Wire leads are arranged with said coiled electrodes' coils disposed about said exterior surface, said insulated portions are disposed in said cavity and each said wire lead extends through one of said holes.

An electrode catheter comprising:

• a plurality of wire leads, each wire lead having a continuous coiled electrode;
• and
• a tube with an exterior surface and a central cavity and a longitudinal slit extending through said exterior surface;
• wherein said wire leads are arranged through said longitudinal slit with said coiled electrodes' coils disposed about said exterior surface and said insulated portions are disposed in said cavity.

An electrode catheter comprising:

• a plurality of wire leads, each wire lead having a continuous coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• and
• a tube with an exterior surface and a central cavity;
• wherein said wire leads are arranged with said coiled electrodes' coils disposed about said exterior surface and wherein said tube is made of a material that is flexible and has shape memory, said tube being preshaped to conform to the shape of a cardiac chamber.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads;
• and
• joining said wire leads and said tube with said coil electrodes being on said external surface and said insulated portions are within said tube;
• wherein said step of preparing said tube includes the drilling of angled holes in the tube, with said wire leads extending through said angled holes.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads, including forming said tube with a plurality of holes arranged in a staggered configuration along the length of the tube with some adjacent holes being circumferentially offset;
• and
• joining said wire leads and said tube with said coil electrodes being on said external surface and said insulated portions are within said tube, said wire leads extending through said holes.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads, said tube having an external surface with a longitudinal slit;
• and
• joining said wire leads and said tube with said coil electrodes being on said external surface and said insulated portions are within said tube, said wire leads extending through said longitudinal slit.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads;
• and
• joining said wire leads and said tube with said coil electrodes being on said external surface and said insulated portions are within said tube;
• and
• preshaping said tube to a shape conforming to the shape of a cardiac chamber.

A method for manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a electrode and an insulated portion;
• preparing a tube to receive said wire leads;
• and
• joining said wire leads and said tube by entraining said insulated leads in a flow of fluid to force said insulated leads through said tube.

A method of manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode, an insulated portion and a terminal end;
• preparing a tube with a longitudinal slit and a tapered end to receive said wire leads;
• combining said wire leads with said tube by staggering said wire leads into a collection of wire leads and inserting said collection of wire leads into said tapered end of said tube while simultaneously passing said tapered end through said coiled electrodes;
• coupling the coils of each said coiled electrode;
• and
• attaching a tip member to said tube after removing said tapered end.

A method of manufacturing an electrode catheter comprising the steps of:

• preparing wire leads with each wire lead having a coiled electrode, an insulated portion and a terminal end;
• preparing a tube with angled holes to receive said wire leads;
• combining said wire leads with said tube by inserting said wire leads through said holes and entraining said wire leads down the length of said tube with a pressurized air or fluid flow;
• coupling the coils of each said coiled electrode;
• and
• attaching a tip member to said tube.