Balloon catheter with split electrodes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12544128-B2
Application number	US-202017086164-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2020
Priority date	Oct 30, 2020
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

A medical apparatus includes a probe, which includes an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity. A balloon is connected distally to the insertion tube and is inflated within the body with a fluid that flows into the balloon through the insertion tube. Electrodes are disposed at different respective locations on a surface of the balloon and configured to contact tissue within the body cavity, each electrode being divided into multiple segments, including at least two segments having different respective areas. An electrical signal generator applies radio-frequency (RF) signals simultaneously in parallel to the multiple segments of each electrode with an amplitude sufficient to ablate the tissue contacted by the electrode. Sensing circuitry acquires electrophysiological signals from at least one of the multiple segments of each electrode separately and independently of the other segments of the electrode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A medical apparatus, comprising:
a probe, which comprises:
an insertion tube configured for insertion into a body cavity of a patient;
a balloon, which is connected distally to the insertion tube and is configured to be inflated within the body cavity with a fluid that flows into the balloon through the insertion tube, the balloon comprising a plurality of irrigation apertures;
a plurality of flexible circuit substrates disposed radially about a longitudinal axis at different respective locations on a surface of the balloon; and
a plurality of ablation electrodes, which are each disposed on a respective flexible circuit substrate of the plurality of flexible circuit substrates such that each electrode is disposed on a different flexible circuit substrate and are configured to contact tissue within the body cavity, each ablation electrode being divided into at least six segments comprising a first segment having a first area, a second segment having a second area, a third segment having a third area, a fourth segment having a fourth area, a fifth segment having a fifth area, and a sixth segment having a sixth area, such that the first area, the third area, the fifth area, and the sixth area are each at least twice the second area and at least twice the fourth area, each ablation electrode being divided into the first and second segments by at least one latitudinal isolation line that is entirely disposed on the respective flexible circuit substrate, and a respective irrigation aperture of the plurality of irrigation apertures passing through the first segment, the third segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment, but not through the second segment nor through the fourth segment, such that the fluid flows out of the balloon through the irrigation apertures to irrigate the tissue contacted by at least the first segment;
an electrical signal generator, which is configured to apply radio-frequency (RF) signals simultaneously in parallel to the at least six segments of each ablation electrode with an amplitude sufficient to ablate the tissue contacted by the ablation electrode, each segment of the at least six segments being connected to the electric signal generator such that each segment of the at least six segments is individually capable of applying the RF signals to ablate the tissue contacted by the ablation electrode; and sensing circuitry, which is configured to acquire electrophysiological signals from at least one segment of the at least six segments of each ablation electrode separately and independently of the other segments of the at least six segments of the ablation electrode.

2 . The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first area is at least four times the second area.

3 . The medical apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, and the fourth segment of each ablation electrode are entirely disposed on the respective flexible circuit such that outer longitudinal edges of the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, and the fourth segment of each ablation electrode are inset relative to outer edges of the respective flexible circuit.

4 . The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , the probe comprising a plurality of conductors passing through the insertion tube, each segment of the at least six segments being connected to a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors such that (i) each segment of the at least six segments is individually capable of applying the RF signals to ablate the tissue contacted by the ablation electrode and (ii) the sensing circuitry is capable of acquiring electrophysiological signals from each segment of the at least six segments separately and independently of the other segments of the at least six segments of the ablation electrode.

5 . The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least the first segment, the third segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment of each ablation electrode are entirely disposed on the respective flexible circuit such that outer edges of the first segment, the third segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment are inset relative to outer edges of the respective flexible circuit.

6 . A method for medical treatment and diagnostics, the method comprising:
providing a probe for insertion into a body cavity of a patient, wherein the probe comprises:
an insertion tube;
a balloon, which is connected distally to the insertion tube, the balloon comprising a plurality of irrigation apertures; and
a plurality of flexible circuit substrates disposed radially about a longitudinal axis at different respective locations on a surface of the balloon; and
a plurality of ablation electrodes, which are each disposed on a respective flexible circuit substrate of the plurality of flexible circuit substrates such that each electrode is disposed on a different flexible circuit substrate, each ablation electrode being divided into at least six segments comprising a first segment having a first area, a second segment having a second area, a third segment having a third area, a fourth segment having a fourth area, a fifth segment having a fifth area, and a sixth segment having a sixth area, such that the first area, the third area, the fifth area, and the sixth area are each at least twice the second area and at least twice the fourth area, each ablation electrode being divided into the first and second segments by at least one latitudinal isolation line that is entirely disposed on the respective flexible circuit substrate, and a respective irrigation aperture of the plurality of irrigation apertures passing through the first segment, the third segment, the fifth segment, and the sixth segment, but not through the second segment nor through the fourth segment;
inflating the balloon within the body cavity with a fluid that flows into the balloon through the insertion tube, so that one or more of the ablation electrodes on the surface of the inflated balloon contact tissue within the body cavity, and such that the fluid flows out of the balloon through the irrigation apertures to irrigate the tissue contacted by at least the first segment; applying radio-frequency (RF) signals simultaneously in parallel to the at least six segments of the ablation electrodes with an amplitude sufficient to ablate the tissue contacted by the ablation electrodes, each segment of the at least six segments being connected to an electric signal generator such that each segment of at least two segments is individually capable of applying the RF signals to ablate the tissue contacted by the ablation electrode; and acquiring electrophysiological signals, via sensing circuitry, from at least one of the at least six segments of each of the ablation electrodes separately and independently of the other segments of the ablation electrodes.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first area is at least four times the second area.

8 . The method according to claim 6 ,
wherein the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, and the fourth segment of each ablation electrode are entirely disposed on the respective flexible circuit such that outer longitudinal edges of the first segment, the second segment, the third segment, and the fourth segment of each ablation electrode are inset relative to outer edges of the respective flexible circuit.

9 . The method according to claim 6 , the probe comprising a plurality of conductors passing through the insertion tube, each segment of the at least six segments being connected to a respective conductor of the plurality of conductors such that (i) each segment of the at least six segments is individual

Assignees

• Biosense Webster Israel Ltd

Inventors

• Govari Assaf
• Beeckler Christopher Thomas
• Keyes Joseph Thomas
• Herrera Kevin Justin

Classifications

• A61B2218/002

  Irrigation · CPC title

• A61B2018/1467

  using more than two electrodes on a single probe · CPC title

• A61B2018/00839

  Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/0022

  Balloons · CPC title