An apparatus for determining alignment between a source device and a target device includes the source device, the target device, and a processing system. The source device includes a first spatially variant field generator for generating a first spatially variant electric field, and a second spatially variant field generator for generating a second spatially variant electric field. The second spatially variant electric field is angularly offset with respect to the first spatially variant electric field. The target device includes a sensor configured to detect a first signal from the first spatially variant electric field and a second signal from the second spatially variant electric field. The processing system is configured to determine alignment between the first source device and the target device based on the first and second signals from the first and second spatially variant electric fields by the target device.

A method includes, in a processor, receiving signals from (i) a first position sensor disposed on a shaft of a catheter, and (ii) a second position sensor disposed on a distal end of a sheath of the catheter. Based on the signals received from the first position sensor and the second position sensor, an event is detected in which an expandable distal-end assembly of the catheter is being withdrawn into the sheath while still at least partially expanded. A responsive action is initiated in response to detecting the event.

Methods and devices using measurements of heart electrophysiological activity to guide structural heart disease interventions. In some embodiments, measurements of heart electrophysiological activity are mapped into locations of a heart model defined by one or more additional measurement modalities. In some embodiments, the additional measurement modalities comprise impedance measurements. Locations to map electrophysiological data to, in some embodiments, are determined by non-electrophysiological measurements simultaneous with the electrophysiological data measurement which locate a probe—for example, measurements made by the probe itself, and/or measurements which themselves indicate positioning of the probe.

Disclosed are various examples and embodiments of systems, devices, components and methods configured to estimate the action potential wave propagation in a patient's heart, and subsequently to detect at least one location or type of at least one source of, or rotational phenomenon associated with, at least one cardiac rhythm disorder using intracardiac electrodes and a modified multi-frame Horn-Schunck algorithm to generate a map corresponding to a spatial map, the map being configured to reveal on a monitor or display to a user the at least one location of the at least one source of the at least one cardiac rhythm disorder.

Systems and methods are disclosed that utilize a robotic device supporting and moving a cutting tool in at least three degrees of freedom. A control system commands the robotic device to control or constrain movement of the cutting tool. A first tracker is coupled to the robotic device and a second tracker is coupled to an anatomy. The second tracker includes three markers that generate optical signals and a non-optical sensor that generates non-optical signals. A navigation system with an optical sensor is in communication with the control system. The navigation system receives, with the optical sensor, the optical signals from one or more of the three markers and receives the non-optical signals from the non-optical sensor. The navigation system communicates position data indicative of a position of the anatomy to the control system to control cutting of the anatomy based on the received optical and non-optical signals.

There is provided a computerized method of tracking a position of an intra-body catheter, comprising: physically tracking coordinates of the position of a distal portion of a physical catheter within the physical body portion of the patient according to physically applied plurality of electrical fields within the body portion and measurements of the plurality of electrical fields performed by a plurality of physical electrodes at a distal portion of the physical catheter; registering the physically tracked coordinates with simulated coordinates generated according to a simulation of a simulated catheter within a simulation of the body of the patient, to identify differences between physically tracked location coordinates and the simulation coordinates; correcting the physically tracked location coordinates according to the registered simulation coordinates; and providing the corrected physically tracked location coordinates for presentation.

Systems, methods, and instruments for tracking localized movement of an anatomic structure at a surgical site are provided that can, for example, detect and identify movement of the anatomic structure not otherwise tracked by a global navigation system. One embodiment can include a cannula with a localized navigation sensor coupled to a distal end thereof. The cannula can be coupled to a robot arm and the localized navigation sensor can detect movement of an anatomic structure relative to the cannula. The localized navigation sensor can include one or more tines that selectively extend from the cannula to contact the anatomic structure. A controller can receive data from the localized navigation sensor and a global navigation system, and determine if movement detected by the localized navigation sensor is tracked by the global navigation system. Systems, methods, and instruments of the present disclosure can be used independently of a global navigation system.

The present invention is advantageous in that the shape of the catheter can be sensed by detecting the position of bending of the catheter body, the direction thereof, the angle thereof, and the curvature thereof through a triplet calculation of information regarding three wavelengths that have undergone a transition along respective FBGs provided on three optical cores.

A microcatheter with a guidewire therein can be steered to target tissue, then the target tissue can be punctured with the guidewire to create a transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can have a diameter substantially smaller than known sheaths which are typically used to guide a needle to a target puncture site in known transseptal puncture treatments. The guidewire can have an atraumatic, electrically conductive distal end that can be electrically energized to puncture the target tissue. Once the guide wire is across, ancillary devices such as a dilator and sheath can be delivered over the guide wire across the transseptal puncture. The microcatheter can include one or more location sensors. A navigation module can use the electrically conductive distal end as a reference electrode to the location sensor(s) of the microcatheter.

A guidance method comprising: placing a tracking pad adjacent a body, the tracking pad including a guiding opening and a plurality of sensors, locating a distal end of a needle inside of the guiding opening at an insertion point adjacent the body, the needle including at least one beacon, operating the plurality of sensors with the at least one beacon to track an actual disposition of the needle, establishing a target disposition for the needle, moving the needle in a direction of movement to synchronize the actual disposition with the target disposition, and inserting the distal end of the needle into the body along an insertion axis.