摘要:
Heart tissue is characterized by using pacing without inducing ventricular tachycardia (VT). With the tissue characterization, a patient's risk of developing VT can be determined and a slow conduction zone in the patient's heart can be determined. The characterization involves applying pacing signals with varying pacing cycle intervals to a chamber of the patient's heart to pace the patient's heart. The response signals generated by the paced heart are received and used as the basis for characterizing the patient's heart tissue.
摘要:
The present invention provides ultrasound-guided ablation catheters and methods for their use. In one embodiment, a tissue ablation apparatus (2) includes a flexible elongate body (12) having proximal (14) and distal (12) ends. A plurality of spaced-apart electrodes (24) are operably attached to the flexible body near the distal end. A plurality of transducer elements (28) are disposed between at least some of the electrodes. Transducers assist the physician in determining whether or not the ablation elements are in contact with the tissue to be ablated.
摘要:
An interface is associated with a structure which, in use, is deployed in an interior body region of a patient. The structure includes an operative element coupled to a controller, which establishes an operating condition for the operative element to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure in the interior body region. The interface generates a first display comprising an image of the structure at least partially while the operative element performs the procedure. The interface also generates a second display comprising one or more data fields reflecting the operating condition of the controller. The interface enables selection of the first display or the second display for viewing on a display screen.
摘要:
Systems and associated methods position arrays of multiple emitters of ablating energy in straight or curvilinear positions in contact with tissue to form elongated lesion patterns. The elongated lesion patterns can continuous or interrupted, depending upon the orientation of the energy emitters.
摘要:
An interface is associated with a structure which, in use, is deployed in an interior body region of a patient. The structure includes an operative element coupled to a controller, which establishes an operating condition for the operative element to perform a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure in the interior body region. The interface generates a first display comprising an image of the structure at least partially while the operative element performs the procedure. The interface also generates a second display comprising one or more data fields reflecting the operating condition of the controller. The interface enables selection of the first display or the second display for viewing on a display screen.
摘要:
Systems and methods for generating a composite signal derived from biopotentials sensed in myocardial tissue are disclosed and described. One such method includes inputting a first set of signals comprising biopotentials sensed at a first group of tissue sites during a first time interval; inputting a second set of signals comprising biopotentials sensed at a second group of tissue sites during a second time interval sequentially after the first time interval, wherein at least one of the biopotentials sensed as part of the first set of signals is not sensed as part of the second set of signals, and at least one of the biopotentials sensed as part of the second set of signals is not sensed as part of the first set of signals; and time aligning the first and second sets of signals using biopotentials sensed at the same site as part of both the first and second sets of signals, thereby generating the composite signal arranged for analysis as if all biopotentials were sensed during a common time interval, whereby the composite signal provides a diagnostic indicator.
摘要:
Electrode assemblies and associated systems employ a nonporous wall having an exterior for contacting tissue. The exterior peripherally surrounds an interior area. The wall is essentially free of electrically conductive material. The wall is adapted to assume an expanded geometry having a first maximum diameter and a collapsed geometry having a second maximum diameter less than the first maximum diameter. The assemblies and systems include a lumen that conveys a medium containing ions into the interior area. An element free of physical contact with the wall couples the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy to enable ionic transport of electrical energy from the source through the medium to the wall for capacitive coupling to tissue contacting the exterior of the wall.
摘要:
Systems and methods supply ablation energy to an electrode in contact with tissue to form a tissue-electrode interface. The system and methods sense, simultaneously with ablation, at least two tissue temperature conditions using at least two tissue temperature sensing elements which are held within a carrier that is substantially isolated from thermal conductive contact with the electrode. The carrier holds the tissue temperature sensing elements in a spaced apart relationship in thermal conductive contact with tissue at different depths beneath the tissue-electrode interface. The systems and methods control the supply of ablation energy to the electrode based, at least in part, upon temperatures sensed by the tissue temperature sensing elements.
摘要:
Structures having asymmetric mechanical properties provide enhanced ability to support therapeutic or diagnostic elements in contact with tissue in an interior body region. The support structure includes a first region, which exhibits a first mechanical property affecting tissue contact, and a second region spaced from the first region about the axis, which exhibits a second mechanical property, different than the first mechanical property, affecting tissue contact. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second mechanical properties correlate with stiffness of the respective first and second regions, with the first region being more flexible (i.e., less stiff) than the second region. The first region, due to its greater flexibility, is more conformal to tissue than the second region. The less flexible (i.e., more stiff) second region imparts greater force against the tissue to urge the more flexible first region toward intimate tissue contact. In a preferred embodiment, the more flexible first region carries at least one therapeutic or diagnostic element.
摘要:
Porous electrode assemblies for tissue heating and ablation systems and methods enable ionic transport of electrical energy to occur substantially free of liquid perfusion.