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US 7,879,029 B2Granted
System and method for selectively energizing catheter electrodes
AssigneeBiosense Webster, Inc.
InventorEduardo Jimenez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a system, a method and a catheter that provide improved ablation capabilities and improved energy efficiency by selectively energizing catheter electrodes on the basis of impedance measurements. In particular, the invention is directed to the selective energization of catheter radial electrodes that together with a tip electrode form a generally continuous tissue contact surface, wherein the selection is made on the basis of impedance measurement as an indication of the amount of tissue contact of each radial electrode.
Claims24
A system for selectively energizing electrodes on an ablation catheter, comprising:
- a catheter having a catheter body, and a tip section carrying a tip electrode and a plurality of radial electrodes proximal the tip electrode;
- a signal generator to provide impedance test signals;
- a multiplexer comprising at least two channels, each channel being in communication with a radial electrode, wherein the multiplexer is adapted to operate in a first mode wherein the multiplexer continuously switches between the channels to change electrical connection of the signal generator to a specific radial electrode, and a second mode wherein the multiplexer connects the signal generator to a single selected radial electrode;
- an impedance measurement circuitry adapted to provide impedance measurements of each radial electrode as an indication of tissue contact when said multiplexer is operating in said first mode;
- a microcontroller adapted to command the multiplexer to operate in said first mode or said second mode;
- a memory adapted to store the impedance measurements;
- an ablation energy source adapted to energize the tip electrode and the single selected radial electrode, wherein the ablation energy source is separate from the signal generator;
- and
- a switch responsive to the microcontroller to connect the ablation energy source to the single selected radial electrode via the multiplexer operating in the second mode.
6 more elements
A method of selectively energizing catheter electrodes, comprising:
- providing a catheter having a catheter body, and a tip section carrying a tip electrode and a plurality of radial electrodes proximal the tip electrode;
- providing a signal generator adapted to generate impedance test signals;
- providing a multiplexer configured to operate in first and second modes, wherein the multiplexer comprises at least two channels, each channel being in communication with a radial electrode;
- continuously switching between the channels of the multiplexer to change electrical connection of the signal generator to a specific radial electrode using the multiplexer in the first mode;
- obtaining impedance measurements as an indication of tissue contact for each radial electrode when it is receiving impedance test signals;
- identifying the single radial electrode with the highest impedance measurement;
- maintaining electrical connection between the signal generator and the single radial electrode with the highest impedance measurement to the exclusion of remaining radial electrodes using the multiplexer in the second mode;
- and
- applying ablation energy to the single radial electrode with the highest impedance measurement to the exclusion of nonselected radial electrodes using an ablation energy source that is separate from the signal generator.
6 more elements
A method of selectively energizing catheter electrodes, comprising:
- providing a catheter having a catheter body, and a tip section carrying a tip electrode and a plurality of radial electrodes proximal the tip electrode;
- providing a signal generator adapted to generate impedance test signals;
- providing a multiplexer configured to operate in first and second modes, wherein the multiplexer comprises at least two channels, each channel being in communication with a radial electrode;
- continuously switching between the channels of the multiplexer to change electrical connection of the signal generator to a specific radial electrode using the multiplexer in the first mode;
- obtaining impedance measurements as an indication of tissue contact for each radial electrode when the radial electrode is receiving impedance test signals;
- storing the impedance measurements and radial electrode identification data associated with the impedance measurements;
- identifying the single radial electrode with the highest impedance measurement;
- maintaining electrical connection between the signal generator and the single radial electrode with the highest impedance measurement to the exclusion of remaining radial electrodes using the multiplexer in the second mode;
- and
- applying ablation energy to the tip electrode and to the single radial electrode with the highest impedance to the exclusion of nonselected radial electrodes using an ablation energy source that is separate from the signal generator.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.