Strengthened expandable baskets for medical probes and medical probes containing strengthen expandable baskets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12471989-B2
Application number	US-202218147200-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 28, 2022
Priority date	Apr 28, 2022
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

An example expandable basket assembly for a medical probe may include a plurality of spines extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal central proximal spine portion to a distal spine portion. The distal spine portion may define a cloverleaf structure disposed radially around the longitudinal axis. The cloverleaf structure may define a central cutout with a central area disposed about the longitudinal axis. The cloverleaf structure may include a sinusoidal-like member extending from one spine to an adjacent spine in a direction around the longitudinal axis. The sinusoidal-like member may include a plurality of distal facing portions, a plurality of proximal facing portions, and at least one side connector connecting two adjacent distal facing portions to one another. The at least one side connector may strengthen a distal end of the expandable basket.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An expandable basket assembly for a medical probe, comprising:
a plurality of spines extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal central proximal spine portion to a distal spine portion, the distal spine portion defining a cloverleaf structure disposed radially around the longitudinal axis, the cloverleaf structure defining a central cutout with a central area disposed about the longitudinal axis, the cloverleaf structure comprising:
a sinusoidal-like member extending from one spine to an adjacent spine in a direction around the longitudinal axis, the sinusoidal-like member comprises a plurality of distal facing portions, a plurality of proximal facing portions, and
at least one side connector connecting two adjacent distal facing portions to one another.

2 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sinusoidal-like member extends around:
(a) a first virtual circle having a first open area of approximately 20% that of the central area, the first virtual circle having its center located at a first distance to the longitudinal axis, (b) a second virtual circle having a second open area of approximately 90% of the first open area, the second virtual circle having its center located at a second distance smaller than the first distance to the longitudinal axis, (c) a third virtual circle having a third open area approximately equal to the first open area, the third virtual circle having its center located at a third distance approximately equal to the first distance to the longitudinal axis, and (d) a fourth virtual circle encircling the sinusoidal-like member comprises an area approximately 14 times greater than the central area and each of the first and third virtual circle is located at a first distance from the central axis while the second virtual circle is located at a second distance of approximately half that of the first distance, and the at least one side connector separating the first and third open areas from the central area.

3 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one side connector comprises two or more side connectors.

4 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 2 , in which portions of the sinusoidal-like member are tangential to a virtual sphere with its center disposed substantially on the longitudinal axis so that distal edges of the cutout extend a general direction towards the proximal portion.

5 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein the expandable basket assembly comprises a coating covering the sinusoidal-like member and a central cutout circumscribed by the sinusoidal-like member.

6 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the spines includes at least one retention member extending generally transverse to the spine.

7 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 6 , in which the at least one retention member comprises a bow shaped member.

8 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 6 , in which the at least one retention member comprises two bow shaped members disposed in opposite direction and transverse to a longer length of each spine.

9 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 6 , in which the at least one retention member comprises first and second sets of retention members spaced apart along the spines, the first set includes two bow shaped members disposed in opposite direction and transverse to a longer length of each spine and the second set includes two bow shaped members disposed in opposite direction and transverse to a longer length of each spine so that each electrode is captured between the first and second sets of retention members.

10 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein side connectors have a width ranging from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.4 mm and a length ranging from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.4 mm.

11 . The expandable basket assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of spines is configured form an approximately oblate-spheroid basket assembly when in the expanded form.

12 . A medical probe, comprising:
a tubular shaft including a proximal end and a distal end, the tubular shaft extending along a longitudinal axis of the medical probe; and an expandable basket assembly coupled to the distal end of the tubular shaft, the basket assembly comprising:
a plurality of spines extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal central proximal spine portion to a distal spine portion, the distal spine portion defining a cloverleaf structure disposed radially around the longitudinal axis, the cloverleaf structure defining a central cutout with a central area disposed about the longitudinal axis, the cloverleaf structure comprising:
a sinusoidal-like member extending from one spine to an adjacent spine in a direction around the longitudinal axis, the sinusoidal-like member comprises a plurality of distal facing portions, a plurality of proximal facing portions, and
at least one side connector connecting two adjacent distal facing portions to one another.

13 . The medical probe of claim 12 , wherein the sinusoidal-like member extends around:
(a) a first virtual circle having a first open area of approximately 20% that of the central area, the first virtual circle having its center located at a first distance to the longitudinal axis, (b) a second virtual circle having a second open area of approximately 90% of the first open area, the second virtual circle having its center located at a second distance smaller than the first distance to the longitudinal axis, (c) a third virtual circle having a third open area approximately equal to the first open area, the third virtual circle having its center located at a third distance approximately equal to the first distance to the longitudinal axis, and (d) a fourth virtual circle encircling the sinusoidal-like member comprises an area approximately 14 times greater than the central area and each of the first and third virtual circle is located at a first distance from the central axis while the second virtual circle is located at a second distance of approximately half that of the first distance, and the at least one side connector separating the first and third open areas from the central area.

14 . The medical probe of claim 12 , further comprising:
a plurality of electrodes, each electrode of the plurality of electrodes comprises a body defining a hollow portion extending through the body of the electrode so that a spine can be inserted into the hollow portion and retained by the at least one retention member, and the at least one side connector comprises two or more side connectors.

15 . The medical probe of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of electrically insulative jackets each disposed between a respective spine of the plurality of spines and a respective electrode, thereby electrically isolating the respective electrode from the respective spine.

16 . The medical probe of claim 12 , wherein side connectors have a width ranging from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.4 mm and a length ranging from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.4 mm.

17 . The medical probe of claim 12 , further comprising:
a wire disposed inside a respective jacket the plurality of electrically insulative jackets, the wire is electrically connected to the respective electrode.

18 . The medical probe of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of spines is configured to form an approximately spherically-shaped basket assembly when in the expanded form.

19 . The medical p

Assignees

• Biosense Webster Israel Ltd

Inventors

• Beeckler Christopher Thomas
• Papaioannou Athanassios
• Keyes Joseph Thomas
• Jimenez Jose
• Rorick Kevin
• Xu Guo

Classifications

• A61B2018/00613

  Irreversible electroporation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00351

  Heart · CPC title

• A61B2018/00267

  having a basket shaped structure · CPC title

• A61B2218/002

  Irrigation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00375

  Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery · CPC title