Balloon-in-basket ablation catheter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11801082-B2
Application number	US-201816619780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2018
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	Oct 31, 2023
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023

Abstract

A catheter comprises an expandable spline structure defining a distal tip portion of the catheter. The spline structure comprises a plurality of individual splines, and each spline is configured to support a plurality of energy transfer elements and/or temperature sensors. An expandable balloon configured to be associated with the spline structure is unattached to the spline structure along its length.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A catheter comprising:
a catheter shaft having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the catheter shaft defining a fluid delivery lumen and an inflating lumen;
a balloon configured to be coupled to the distal end portion of the catheter shaft, wherein the balloon defines a volume in fluid communication with the fluid delivery lumen and flow-coupled in-situ with the inflating lumen, wherein the balloon and the inflating lumen are partially positioned within the fluid delivery lumen; and
a plurality of energy transfer elements disposed on top of a flexible circuit and along at least a portion of the balloon, wherein the plurality of energy transfer elements and the flexible circuit are disposed on top of a metal spline,
wherein the balloon and the metal spline are separately expandable and/or collapsible.

2. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of energy transfer elements comprises at least one ablation electrode.

3. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of energy transfer elements comprises at least one of a sensing electrode, a flexible electrode, a mapping electrode, and a pacing electrode.

4. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of energy transfer elements are situated along an outer circumference of the balloon when the balloon is in an expanded state.

5. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the metal spline is configured to support the balloon and to be coupled to the distal end portion of the catheter shaft, wherein the metal spline comprises a plurality of individual splines.

6. The catheter of claim 5 , wherein each spline is configured to support at least one of the plurality of energy transfer elements.

7. The catheter of claim 5 , wherein each spline is configured to support at least one temperature sensor.

8. The catheter of claim 5 , wherein each spline is configured to support the flexible circuit including at least one of the plurality of energy transfer elements and a temperature sensor, and wherein the balloon is configured to compress the flexible circuit toward a tissue.

9. The catheter of claim 8 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature at an interface between the balloon and the tissue.

10. The catheter of claim 8 , wherein the flexible circuit is configured to overhang edges of the metal spline.

11. The catheter of claim 10 , further comprising a bridging flexible portion configured to connect two overhanging flexible circuits.

12. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the balloon comprises at least one internal electrode.

13. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the balloon is a double balloon configured with an inner balloon and an outer balloon.

14. The catheter of claim 1 , further comprising an over-coating disposed only in a non-ablation region of the plurality of energy transfer elements.

15. An ablation catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter shaft defining a fluid delivery lumen and an inflating lumen;
a balloon attached to the catheter shaft and the fluid delivery lumen, wherein the balloon is transformable between a delivery state and an expanded state, and wherein the balloon, in the expanded state, spans an area greater than a cross sectional area of the catheter shaft to which the balloon is attached, wherein the balloon and inflating lumen are partially positioned within the fluid delivery lumen; and
a plurality of ablation electrodes positioned on top of a flexible circuit and along an outer surface of the balloon when the balloon is in the expanded state, wherein the plurality of ablation electrodes and the flexible circuit are positioned on top of a metal spline,
wherein the balloon and the metal spline are separately expandable and/or collapsible.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising at least one sensing electrode positioned along the outer surface of the balloon, when the balloon is in the expanded state.

17. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the metal spline is configured to support the balloon and to be coupled to a distal end portion of the catheter shaft, wherein the metal spline comprises a plurality of individual splines.

18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein each spline is configured to support at least one of the plurality of ablation electrodes.

19. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein each spline is configured to support at least one temperature sensor.

20. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein each spline is configured to support the flexible circuit including at least one of the plurality of ablation electrodes and a temperature sensor, and wherein the balloon is configured to compress the flexible circuit toward a tissue.

21. The assembly of claim 20 , wherein the temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature at an interface between the balloon and the tissue.

22. The assembly of claim 20 , wherein the flexible circuit is configured to overhang edges of the metal spline.

23. The assembly of claim 22 , further comprising a bridging flexible portion configured to connect two overhanging flexible circuits.

24. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the balloon is a double balloon configured with an inner balloon and an outer balloon.

25. The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising an over-coating disposed only in a non-ablation region of the plurality of ablation electrodes.

Assignees

• St Jude Medical Cardiology Div Inc

Inventors

• Sliwa John W
• Morse Stephen A

Classifications

• A61B18/02 Primary

  by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques · CPC title

• A61B18/06

  caused by chemical reaction {, e.g. moxaburners} · CPC title

• A61B18/082

  Probes or electrodes therefor · CPC title

• A61B18/1492 Primary

  having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation (A61B18/1477 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B18/20

  using laser · CPC title