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 support arrays of multiple electrodes in asymmetric pattern, either radially, or axially, or both. Radial asymmetry makes it possible provide localized density of electrodes. Axial asymmetry makes it possible to locate electrodes in a pattern that closely conforms to the irregular contours of an interior body cavity, like the heart. In a preferred embodiment, the systems and methods operate the multiple electrode arrays to form continuous lesion patterns.
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:
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:
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:
Elongated spline members are threaded through a hub to form depending spline legs. In one embodiment, the spline members are threaded through a puncturable material on the hub. In another embodiment, the spline members are threaded through a slotted hub, which is then encapsulated by a sealing, elastomeric material. In another embodiment, multiple spline members are looped and woven together beyond a distal end of the hub, and the distal end of the hub serves to exert a force that maintains the woven relationship of the spline members. The spline legs, which radiate from the hub, preferable carry one or more diagnostic or therapeutic elements, such as electrodes. Preferably, a base constrains the terminal ends of the spline legs in a normally expanded geometry between the hub and base.
摘要:
Collapsible electrode assemblies and associated methods employing a structure having an axis and a distal end. The structure comprises a wall peripherally enclosing an interior. The structure is adapted to selectively assume an expanded geometry having a first maximum diameter about the axis and a collapsed geometry having a second maximum diameter about the axis less than the first maximum diameter. An electrically conductive material is carried by the wall, forming an electrode region adapted to conform to both the normally expanded geometry and the collapsed geometry of the structure. In one implementation, a flexing element in the interior of the structure bends within the interior along the axis of the structure to displace the distal end relative to the axis. In another implementation, a stilette element within the interior of the structure imparts axial force upon the distal end along the axis of the structure, thereby axially elongating or shortening the structure.
摘要:
Multiple electrode support structures have asymmetric geometries, either axially, or radially, or both. The asymmetric support structures are assembled from spline elements that extend between a distal hub and a proximal base. In one embodiment, the spline elements are circumferentially spaced about the distal hub in a radially asymmetric fashion, creating a greater density of spline elements in one region of the structure than in another region. In the same or another embodiment, the spline elements are preformed in an axially asymmetric fashion along their lengths, creating a different geometry in their distal regions than in their proximal regions.
摘要:
An electrode circuit has a distal region for carrying at least one electrode, a proximal region for connection to external apparatus, and an intermediate region electrically coupling the distal region with the proximal region. At least one, and preferably all, of the regions comprises flexible ribbon cable having two or more adjacent tracks of electrical conduction material and adjoining electrical insulating material. Use of ribbon cable make possible highly dense, extremely reliable electrical connections. Its reliability and density obviate the need for complicated multiplexing schemes at the distal region. Instead, less complicated, proximal multiplexing schemes can be used.
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.