Medical device with multi-core fiber for optical sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11998310-B2
Application number	US-202217819247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2022
Priority date	Jan 7, 2016
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A medical device, system, and method having a flexible shaft and a multi-core fiber within the flexible shaft. The multi-core fiber includes a plurality of optical cores dedicated for shape sensing sensors, and a plurality of optical cores dedicated for force sensing sensors. A medical device flexing structure assembly can comprise a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores, and a flexing structure comprising at least one slot. Each of the plurality of cores can comprise a fiber Bragg grating, and the flexing structure can be configured to bend in response to a force imparted on the flexing structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tip assembly coupled to a distal end of a catheter body, the catheter tip assembly comprising:
a flexing structure configured to bend in response to an external force;
an electrode adjacent the flexing structure, the electrode comprising:
a distal end wall; and
a longitudinally extending inner wall intersecting with the distal end wall,
wherein the distal end wall and the inner wall define a cavity; and

a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores and a distal end, wherein each of the plurality of cores extends from a proximal end to the distal end of the multi-core fiber, wherein at least one of the plurality of cores comprises a fiber Bragg grating and is configured to sense a shape of the flexing structure,

wherein the distal end of the multi-core fiber is disposed within the cavity and is in contact with a surface of the distal end wall of the electrode, and
wherein a distal end of the fiber Bragg grating is disposed within the cavity and is spaced apart from the distal end wall of the electrode.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cores includes a core configured to sense a force imparted on the flexing structure.

3. The assembly of claim 2 , wherein the core configured to sense the force uses different optical sensing from the fiber Bragg grating.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of cores includes a common core configured to sense the shape of the flexing structure and a force imparted on the flexing structure.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the common core includes shape sensing gratings and force sensing gratings, the shape sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a first frequency, and the force sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the flexing structure comprises a deformation mechanism.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein an end surface of the plurality of cores is amalgamated.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the plurality of cores is crushed.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-core fiber comprises a first set of gratings and a second set of gratings, the first set of gratings configured to be bent, and the second set of gratings configured to be axially compressed.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the multi-core fiber comprises three shape sensing cores.

11. A catheter assembly comprising:
a catheter tip assembly coupled to a distal end of a catheter body, the catheter tip assembly comprising:
a flexing structure configured to bend in response to an external force;
a catheter tip adjacent the flexing structure, the catheter tip comprising:
a distal end wall; and
a longitudinally extending inner wall intersecting with the distal end wall,
wherein the distal end wall and the inner wall define a cavity; and

a multi-core fiber comprising a plurality of cores and a distal end, wherein each of the plurality of cores extends from a proximal end to the distal end of the multi-core fiber, wherein at least one of the plurality of cores comprises a fiber Bragg grating and is configured to sense a shape of the flexing structure,

wherein the distal end of the multi-core fiber is disposed within the cavity and is in contact with a surface of the distal end wall of the catheter tip.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of cores includes a core configured to sense a force imparted on the flexing structure.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the core configured to sense the force uses different optical sensing from the fiber Bragg grating.

14. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of cores includes a common core configured to sense the shape of the flexing structure and a force imparted on the flexing structure.

15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the common core includes shape sensing gratings and force sensing gratings, the shape sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a first frequency and the force sensing gratings configured to operate with light at a second frequency different from the first frequency.

16. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the flexing structure comprises a deformation mechanism.

17. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein an end surface of the plurality of cores is amalgamated.

18. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein a distal end of the plurality of cores is crushed.

19. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the multi-core fiber comprises a first set of gratings and a second set of gratings, the first set of gratings configured to be bent, and the second set of gratings configured to be axially compressed.

20. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the multi-core fiber comprises three shape sensing cores.

Assignees

• St Jude Medical Int Holding Sarl

Inventors

• Liu Yu
• Sliwa John W
• Liu Jiayin
• Leo Giovanni
• Tegg Troy T

Classifications

• A61B5/065 Primary

  Determining position of the probe employing exclusively positioning means located on or in the probe, e.g. using position sensors arranged on the probe · CPC title

• A61B5/0245

  by using sensing means generating electric signals, {i.e. ECG signals} · CPC title

• A61B5/6852

  Catheters · CPC title

• A61B18/1492

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

• A61M25/0147

  with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires · CPC title