A catheter including one or more echogenic members facilitate guiding the catheter to a selected locations within a patient using ultrasound imaging. The echogenic members may include expandable members, such as balloons, be positioned near a distal end of the catheter. The echogenic members include an echogenic material, such as a coating or a fluid, that is configured to enhance the diffuse sound scattering of the echogenic member. An expanded echogenic member is detectable using ultrasound imaging.

A locator assembly (100) for determining a location of an arrhythmogenic foci (632) in or near a heart (101). The locator assembly (100) includes a device body (112) and a plurality of electrodes (102). The plurality of electrodes (102) receive electrical signals from the heart (101) to determine the location of the arrhythmogenic foci (632). The plurality of electrodes (102) can be coupled to the device body (112). At least two of the plurality of electrodes (102) can positioned circumferentially about the device body (112). The plurality of electrodes (102) can be positionable so that the plurality of electrodes (102) are in electrical communication with the heart (101).

A method for determining a location of an arrhythmogenic foci (632) in or near a heart (101) includes the steps of positioning a locator assembly (100) within the heart (101), the locator assembly (100) including a plurality of electrodes (102) that receive electrical signals from the heart (101), generating a first signal array (733) from the electrical signals received by the plurality of electrodes (102) to determine an actual location of the arrhythmogenic foci (632), artificially stimulating the heart (101) based on the actual location determined by the first signal array (733) to generate a second signal array (733), and confirming the actual location of the arrhythmogenic foci (632) by comparing the first signal array (733) with the second signal array (735). In some embodiments, the locator assembly (100) includes a plurality of bipolar electrodes (102).

The present invention relates to steerable access sheath assembly including at least one electrode. Moreover, the present invention relates to a steerable sheath access device for use in cardiovascular procedures. Embodiments of the present invention including steerable access sheaths or introducers may provide cardiovascular access for various ablation tools and devices for the performance of various ablation procedures or procedures involving alternate energy sources.

Wireless, variable inductance and resonant circuit-based vascular monitoring devices, systems, methodologies, and techniques, including specifically configured anchoring structures for same, are disclosed that can be used to assist healthcare professionals in predicting, preventing, and diagnosing various heart-related and other health conditions.

Disclosed herein is a system, apparatus and method directed to placing a medical instrument in a vasculature of a patient body, including an optical fiber with one or more core fibers. The system can include a console having non-transitory computer-readable medium storing logic that, when executed, causes operations of providing an incident light signal to the optical fiber, receiving a reflected light signal of the incident light, wherein the reflected light signal is reflected from at least one of red blood cells or tissue within the patient body, processing the reflected light signal to determine an oxygen level within the patient body near a distal tip of the optical fiber. The method may further include determining a location of the distal tip of the optical fiber within the patient body at least based on the oxygen level.

Wireless, variable inductance and resonant circuit-based vascular monitoring devices, systems, methodologies, and techniques, including specifically configured anchoring structures for same, are disclosed that can be used to assist healthcare professionals in predicting, preventing, and diagnosing various heart-related and other health conditions.

Wireless, variable inductance and resonant circuit-based vascular monitoring devices, systems, methodologies, and techniques, including specifically configured anchoring structures for same, are disclosed that can be used to assist healthcare professionals in predicting, preventing, and diagnosing various heart-related and other health conditions.

A system and method for installing/implanting a leadless implant can include a leadless implant with shortened tine-based anchors and an implantation tool with a modified tip. The tines can extend from a surface of the leadless implant and may include a preformed curve or other shape to enable the tine to hook into or grapple tissue. The implantation tool may be provided with a modified tip to assist with proper alignment, insertion, and anchoring of the shortened tines. A tip of the implantation tool can have a reduced inner diameter to cause the tine tips to be approximately normal to the surface of the tissue to which the implant is being anchored. Upon deployment of the leadless implant, the tines of the anchoring mechanism are appropriately aligned for proper insertion so that robust anchoring is achieved.

The disclosure relates to an implantable pressure sensor probe for measuring a pressure in the left atrium of a human heart, wherein a distal portion of the pressure sensor probe has a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure. A catheter is also described.