Patent classifications
A61B2034/2053
RADIO-FREQUENCY ABLATION AND DIRECT CURRENT ELECTROPORATION CATHETERS
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to flexible catheters for both electrophysiology mapping and ablation using a high-density array of electrodes. These catheters may be used to detect electrophysiological characteristics of tissue in contact with the electrodes, and conduct monopolar and bipolar ablations of the tissue.
Characteristic track catheter navigation
Registration of catheter-sensed intrabody voltage field measurements obtained along one or more tracks of catheter advance of withdrawal is made, in some embodiments, to reference voltage field measurements lying along predetermined tracks. Tracks optionally comprise the course of a blood vessel such as the superior or inferior vena cava, a path defined and/or limited by encounters with a wall of a heart chamber and/or apertures thereof, and/or another track of catheter motion. In some embodiments, transform parameters are propagated to regions away from the track, potentially allowing more rapid acquisition of targets.
TRAJECTORY ALIGNMENT SYSTEM AND METHODS
The navigation systems and methods facilitate aligning a tool in relation to a trajectory in real-time to receive input data from a pre-operative plan image, at least one multi-modal image, and at least one real-time multi-modal image; interactively track at least one neural fiber, whereby interactively tracked fiber data is obtainable; automatically generate output data by way of data transformation using the input data and the interactively tracked neural fiber data; and transmit the output data to at least one of: at least one display device for rendering at least one real-time interactive navigation display for facilitating neural navigation, and at least one drive device for positioning at least one tracking device in relation to the tool in real-time, whereby real-time alignment data is achievable, and whereby at least one neurological structure is preservable.
Extending the tracking volume in a probe tracking system
A system includes multiple electrically-conductive channels and a processor. The processor is configured to receive, over the electrically-conductive channels, (i) respective first electric currents from a probe, which is within a body of a patient, via a plurality of first electrodes, which are attached to skin of the patient at a region of the body, and (ii) a second electric current from the probe via a second electrode, which is attached to the skin and is connected to one of the channels. The processor is further configured to ascertain respective first electric-current values of the first electric currents and a second electric-current value of the second electric current, and to calculate a position of the probe between the region and the second electrode, based on the first electric-current values and the second electric-current value. Other embodiments are also described.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRACKING AND VISUALIZING MEDICAL DEVICES
An electroanatomical mapping system tracks and visualizes an item of interest, such as a medical device or anatomical structure, as the item moves within a non-ionizing localization field. The system localizes the item within the localization field and determines the initial position of the item with respect to an imaging device (e.g., an intracardiac echocardiography catheter) field of view. The system displays a region of the field of view containing the initial position of the item if it is within the field of view. If not, the system can output a notification. As the item moves, the system can update the displayed region so that it remains focused on the item, and can output a notification if the item exits the field of view. The displayed region(s) can include one or more two-dimensional image slices, optionally output as a three-dimensional volumetric image.
Mapping binned medical data
A method of generating a combined image of a body part from a sequence of partially overlapping source images of the body part, each of the partially overlapping source images showing the body part at one of a plurality of different times, the source images being ordered in the sequence according to the different times, the method including defining a temporally coherent sequence of transformations, for registering the partially overlapping source images in the sequence with each other, registering the source images to each other using the defined temporally coherent sequence of transformations, to obtain co-registered images, and combining at least some of the co-registered images into a combined image. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
Steerable intravascular catheter with releasable locking mechanism
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to intravascular electrophysiology catheters including a catheter handle with a steering-wire locking mechanism.
Medical Devices with a Quick Release Drive Connector
Disclosed herein, in some embodiments, are medical device systems including an elongate medical device having a proximal end including one or more sensor connectors, a distal end including one or more sensors or emitters communicatively coupled to the one or more sensor connectors, and a drive connector including one or more sensor connector attachments configured to detachably couple to the one or more sensor connectors. The one or more sensor connector attachments can be configured to drive the one or more sensors or emitters of the elongate medical device.
IDENTIFICATION AND VISUALIZATION OF NON-NAVIGATED OBJECTS IN MEDICAL IMAGES
A method includes presenting to a user a three-dimensional (3D) map of at least part of an organ of a patient, the 3D map generated by a position-tracking system. An artificial object, which is non-trackable by the position-tracking system, is identified in a medical image of at least part of the organ. A graphical representation of the non-trackable artificial object is presented to the user on the 3D map.
Impedance-based position tracking performance using scattered interpolant
A method includes, receiving from a calibration probe multiple data points acquired in an organ of a patient, each data point including (i) a respective position of the calibration probe, and (ii) a respective set of electrical values indicative of respective impedances between the position and multiple electrodes attached externally to the patient. A mapping between sets of the electrical values and respective positions in the organ is constructed, by performing for each received data point: if the mapping already contains one or more existing data points in a predefined vicinity of the data point, the one or more existing data points are adjusted responsively to the received data point, and if the predefined vicinity does not contain any existing data points, the received data point is added to the mapping. A position of a medical probe is subsequently tracked in the organ using the mapping.