Abstract:
Catheter ultrasound systems including a sheath, a handle, a sheath lumen, and an ultrasound catheter disposed within the lumen of the sheath with ultrasound elements capable of visualizing anatomical regions. The handle allowing the ultrasound catheter to rotate with respect to the sheath using a rotation adjustment knob within the handle or alternatively an separate manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the ultrasound catheter. The sheath, ultrasound catheter, or both may also include one or more electrodes or other location sensor for both orienting the ultrasound element as well as for diagnostic purposes.
Abstract:
Catheter ultrasound systems including a sheath, a handle, a sheath lumen, and an ultrasound catheter disposed within the lumen of the sheath with ultrasound elements capable of visualizing anatomical regions. The handle allowing the ultrasound catheter to rotate with respect to the sheath using a rotation adjustment knob within the handle or alternatively an separate manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the ultrasound catheter. The sheath, ultrasound catheter, or both may also include one or more electrodes or other location sensor for both orienting the ultrasound element as well as for diagnostic purposes.
Abstract:
An irrigation system for use with an irrigated electrophysiology catheter includes a peristaltic pump and an irrigation tube. The pump generally includes a pump clamp and a rotor, which are spaced apart to provide a tubing channel therebetween. The irrigation tube is inserted into the tubing channel. At least one of the pump clamp and the irrigation tube is treated to reduce surface adhesion therebetween. This advantageously minimizes perturbations to the double layer, which reduces a noise signal that might otherwise couple to and distort an electrogram signal.
Abstract:
A transseptal needle includes an elongate needle body having a distal end and a proximal end and a cannular needle tip located proximate the distal end of the needle body. The needle tip has a distal segment, a proximal segment, and a longitudinal axis. An inner surface of the needle tip defines a passageway spanning at least a portion of the needle tip, and an outer surface of the needle tip defines a wall with the inner surface. The distal segment of the needle tip also includes a wedge surface and a dome-shaped region. The wedge surface forms a wedge angle of other than 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis. The dome-shaped region, which intersects the wedge surface, includes at least two bevels that intersect the wedge surface and that intersect each other at one or more points on the needle tip.
Abstract:
A process for preventing atrial premature contractions originating within a pulmonary vein from being conducted into the left atrium of a human heart. More specifically, an ablation lesion is formed which electrically isolates the located source of the atrial premature contraction in the pulmonary vein from connection with the left atrium and blocks passage of the atrial premature contraction originating from the located source. In one embodiment, the steps of the process include advancing a medical device into the left atrium of a human heart, introducing the advanced medical device into the pulmonary vein from the left atrium of a human heart, sensing electrical activity within the pulmonary vein using the introduced medical device, locating a source of the atrial premature contraction within the pulmonary vein using the sensed electrical activity, and forming an ablation lesion in tissue of the pulmonary vein at a location proximal from the located source of the atrial premature contraction within the pulmonary vein. Conductive media and various medical devices may be used with the process.
Abstract:
Catheter ultrasound systems including a sheath, a handle, a sheath lumen, and an ultrasound catheter disposed within the lumen of the sheath with ultrasound elements capable of visualizing anatomical regions. The handle allowing the ultrasound catheter to rotate with respect to the sheath using a rotation adjustment knob within the handle or alternatively an separate manipulation handle attached to the proximal end of the ultrasound catheter. The sheath, ultrasound catheter, or both may also include one or more electrodes or other location sensor for both orienting the ultrasound element as well as for diagnostic purposes.
Abstract:
An ablation catheter is disclosed having proximal and distal ends and an external surface, a lumen contained within the catheter body, a plurality of openings in the surface of the catheter, wherein the openings are in communication with the lumen, one or more electrodes secured within the catheter within the lumen and a source for conductive media to be introduced into the lumen to contact the electrode. The ablation catheter also may contain a conductive media flow control system which controls the flow of the conductive media through the openings in the surface of the catheter. Also disclosed is a process for ablation of human tissue which includes introducing an ablation catheter into the human body to a location to be ablated, passing a conductive media through a lumen of the catheter to contact one or more electrodes, passing the conductive media through the openings in the catheter body to contact the tissue to be ablated, and conducting energy from the electrode through the conductive media to the tissue for a sufficient period of time to ablate the tissue.