A medical instrument includes a first device (108) including shape-sensed flexible instrument, a second device (102) disposed over the first device and a third device (109) disposed over the first device and a portion of the second device. The second and third devices include a geometric relationship such that a position of the second device and the third device is determined from shape sensing information of the first device and the geometric relationship.

A medical navigation system including a controller configured to: generate a three-dimensional (3D) volume based upon acquired image information of a region of interest (ROI), determine a reference path (RP) to an object-of-interest (OOI) situated within the ROI, the RP defining an on-road path (ONP) through at least one natural pathway of an organ subject to cyclical motion and an adjacent off-road path (ORP) through tissue of the organ leading to the OOI, and an exit point situated between the ONP and the ORP, query an SSD within the at least one natural pathway to obtain SSDI, determine a shape and a pose of one or more portions of the SSD in accordance with the SSDI, calculate an error between the RP and the determined shape and pose of the SSD, and/or determine when or where to exit a wall of the natural pathway and begin the ORP based upon the calculated error.

Disclosed is an optical coherence tomography (OCT) system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. The OCT system may include: a light source unit generating light; an optical interferometer including an optical coupler splitting the light generated by the light source unit into first distribution light and second distribution light, a reference arm reflecting the first distribution light, a sample arm reflecting the second distribution light, and an optical detector detecting the light reflected by the reference arm and the sample arm; an OCT catheter including an optical fiber having a shape in which the optical fiber is insertable into at least a part of a human body and is rotatable and discharging the light to a tissue and collecting OCT data for the tissue; an OCT engine including a processor and a storage unit and processing the OCT data collected by the OCT catheter; and an OCT controller connected to a proximal end of the OCT catheter and controlling rotation of the OCT catheter.

Example apparatuses disclosed herein are generally usable with catheter-based systems to measure or provide electrical signals within the heart and surrounding vasculature. Example apparatuses generally include an end effector with one or more spines that can rotate about a longitudinal axis such that the spines are aligned in a plane in a first configuration and the one or more spines are rotated out of the plane in a second configuration. The end effector can include features which provide improved and/or alternative diagnostic or treatment options compared to existing end effectors. In some example treatments utilizing some example apparatuses presented herein, an end effector can map a wall within the heart in the first configuration and a lumen of a vein in the second configuration.

Switching systems are positioned along a bidirectional signal carrying line, typically between an electrode in a catheter at the heart of a patient, and an external console. The switching system provides for switching the bidirectional signal carrying line between: a main line, which carries acquired electrocardiac signals from the electrode of the catheter at the heart of the patent to the external console, via a switch unit; and, a bypass line, which carries pacing signals, directly from the external console to the electrode of the catheter. The bypass line provides an uninterrupted electrical connection between the electrode and the external console, thus avoiding the switch unit.

Systems and methods are described for implementing a catheter model to estimate shape of a deformable catheter in a three-dimensional space. The catheter model includes two or more model segments that correspond to two or more segments of the deformable catheter. Each model segment includes a length and location of model electrode(s) and/or model magnetic sensor(s) corresponding electrodes and/or magnetic sensors of the deformable catheter. Variable shape parameter define a curvature of the segment. Varying the shape parameters generates a plurality of potential catheter shapes. In conjunction with generating the potential catheter shapes, impedance and/or magnetic responses (e.g., measured responses) are obtained for the physical electrodes and/or physical magnetic sensors of the deformable catheter. Using a selected one (e.g., most likely) of the potential catheter shapes and the measured responses, the shape parameters are updated and a catheter shape is generated and displayed.

A non-invasive and permeable RF diagnosis and treatment equipment and its catheter are provided. The catheter which comprises a tube body, a RF electrode array and a flexible protecting net has a retractable cavity, and the RF electrode array is attached to an outer surface of the retractable cavity; the flexible protecting net surrounding outside of the RF electrode array has a connector connected with the tube body and multiple holes. The retractable cavity has a smaller volume contraction state and a larger volume expansion state. Using the catheter, when inserting or pulling out the catheter, the RF electrode array will not contact the inner wall of the organ, but the flexible protecting net contacts the inner wall of the organ. In this way, the scratch of the inner wall of the organ caused by the RF electrode array can be minimized or even avoided through the flexible protecting net.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for locating and identifying nerves innervating the wall of arteries such as the renal artery. The present invention identifies areas on vessel walls that are innervated with nerves; provides indication on whether energy is delivered accurately to a targeted nerve; and provides immediate post-procedural assessment of the effect of energy delivered to the nerve. The methods includes evaluating a change in physiological parameters after energy is delivered to an arterial wall; and determining the type of nerve that the energy was directed to (sympathetic or parasympathetic or none) based on the evaluated results. The system includes at least a device for delivering energy to the wall of blood vessel; sensors for detecting physiological signals from a subject; and indicators to display results obtained using said method. Also provided are catheters for performing the mapping and ablating functions.

A catheter comprising an elongated catheter body, an electrode array distal of the catheter body, the array having a mounting member and at least first and second spine supports. Each spine support includes a base having a planar configuration, and a plurality of spines extending from the base, wherein the first base extends in a first plane and the second base extends in a second plane different from the first plane in the mounting member.

A method, including receiving a bipolar signal from a pair of electrodes in proximity to a myocardium of a human subject, and receiving a unipolar signal from a selected one of the pair of electrodes. The method further includes delineating a window of interest (WOI) for the unipolar and bipolar signals, within the WOI computing local unipolar minimum derivatives of the unipolar signal, and times of occurrence of the local unipolar minimum derivatives, and within the WOI computing bipolar derivatives of the bipolar signal at the times of occurrence. The method also includes evaluating ratios of the bipolar derivatives to the local unipolar minimum derivatives, and when the ratios are greater than a preset threshold ratio value, assigning the times of occurrence as times of activation of the myocardium, counting a number of the times of activation; and classifying the unipolar signal according to the number.