Non-contact electrode basket catheters with irrigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9339331-B2
Application number	US-34560608-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 29, 2008
Priority date	Dec 29, 2008
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

Catheter systems and methods are disclosed. An exemplary catheter includes an outer tubing housing and an inner fluid delivery tubing, the inner fluid delivery tubing having at least one fluid delivery port. The catheter also includes a deployment member movable axially within the inner fluid delivery tubing. A plurality of splines are each connected at a proximal end to the outer tubing and at a distal end to deployment member. A seal is provided between the outer tubing and the inner fluid delivery tubing. A gasket is provided between the deployment member and the inner fluid delivery tubing. Both the seal and the gasket are configured to prevent blood or other fluid from ingressing into the outer tubing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A non-contact electrode basket catheter with irrigation, comprising:
an outer tubing housing an inner fluid delivery tubing, the inner fluid delivery tubing comprising a proximal fluid delivery port;
a deployment member movable axially within the inner fluid delivery tubing;
a plurality of splines each connected at a proximal end of the splines to a distal end of the outer tubing and at a distal end of the splines to the deployment member, the plurality of splines expanding when the deployment member is moved in a first direction, and the plurality of splines collapsing when the deployment member is moved in a second direction, the first direction being opposite the second direction;
a plurality of distal fluid delivery ports positioned on a distal end of the deployment member where the plurality of splines connect to the deployment member, at least one of the plurality of distal fluid delivery ports positioned facing toward the plurality of splines at a distal end of the deployment member;
a seal provided between the outer tubing and the inner fluid delivery tubing;
a gasket provided at an end of the inner fluid delivery tubing between the deployment member and the inner fluid delivery tubing; and
wherein both the seal and the gasket are configured to prevent blood or other fluid from ingressing into the outer tubing.

2. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the seal is maintained in a fixed position relative to the outer tubing and the inner fluid delivery tubing.

3. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the seal has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the inner fluid delivery tubing, and wherein the seal has an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the outer tubing.

4. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the deployment member extends through the gasket, the deployment member being moveable through the gasket.

5. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the deployment member is hollow.

6. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the fluid delivery ports are positioned to irrigate between the plurality of splines to reduce clotting or thrombus formation.

7. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the splines are flex circuits.

8. The catheter of claim 1 , wherein the outer tubing, the inner fluid delivery tubing, and the deployment member form a nested tube configuration.

9. A catheter system comprising:
a delivery sheath;
a non-contact electrode basket catheter insertable through the delivery shaft, the basket catheter comprising a basket portion including a plurality of splines operable to be moved by a deployment member between a deployed position and an undeployed position;
an inner fluid delivery tubing housed within an outer tubing of the basket catheter, the deployment member movable axially within the inner fluid delivery tubing, the inner fluid delivery tubing extending between opposing end portions of the basket portion, the inner fluid delivery tubing comprising a proximal fluid delivery port configured to irrigate within the basket catheter between the plurality of splines;
a plurality of distal fluid delivery ports positioned on a distal portion of the deployment member where the plurality of splines connect to the deployment member, at least one of the plurality of distal fluid delivery ports positioned facing toward the plurality of splines at a distal end of the deployment member; and
a seal fixedly provided between the inner fluid delivery tubing and an outer tubing of the basket catheter, the seal preventing blood or fluid ingress into the outer tubing.

10. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the seal has an inner diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the inner fluid delivery tubing, and the seal has an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the outer tubing.

11. The catheter system of claim 9 , further comprising a gasket between the deployment member and the inner fluid delivery tube.

12. The catheter system of claim 11 , wherein the deployment member is movable through the gasket.

13. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the deployment member includes fluid delivery means.

14. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the deployment member is a pull wire.

15. The catheter system of claim 9 , wherein the splines comprise flex circuits.

16. A non-contact electrode basket catheter system with irrigation comprising:
a catheter shaft;
a basket catheter insertable through the catheter shaft, the basket catheter including:
an inner fluid delivery tubing provided within an outer tubing;
a plurality of splines connected to the outer tubing on one end and to a deployment member on an opposite end, the deployment member movable axially within the inner fluid delivery tubing, the deployment member operable to move the splines between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration;
a plurality of ports on a distal portion of the deployment member where the plurality of splines connect to the deployment member, the plurality of ports configured to irrigate within the basket catheter between the plurality of splines, at least one of the plurality of ports positioned facing toward the plurality of splines at a distal end of the deployment member; and
sealing means for stopping blood or fluid from ingressing into the catheter shaft.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein at least one sealing means is maintained in a fixed position relative to the outer tubing and the inner fluid delivery tubing.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the deployment member extends through and is moveable through at least one sealing means.

19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the deployment member includes distal fluid delivery means.

20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the splines comprise flex circuits with non-contact electrodes.

21. A method comprising:
moving a deployment member axially within an inner fluid delivery tubing of an outer tubing housing, the deployment member moving in a first direction to expand a plurality of splines of a non-contact electrode basket catheter, and moving the deployment member axially within the inner fluid delivery tubing in a second direction to collapse the plurality of splines;
irrigating between proximal and distal ends of the splines of the non-contact electrode basket catheter with proximal ports on a distal end of the inner fluid delivery tubing and a plurality of distal ports on a distal portion of the deployment member where the plurality of splines connect on the deployment member, at least one of the plurality of distal ports positioned facing toward the splines at a distal end of the deployment member; and
preventing fluid ingress into a catheter shaft.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein preventing fluid ingress is at least in part through use of a seal.

23. The method of claim 21 , further comprising maintained the seal in a fixed position relative to the inner fluid delivery tubing during moving of the deployment member.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein preventing fluid ingress is at least in part through use of a gasket.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising moving the deployment member through the gasket.

26. The method of claim 21 , further comprising irrigating each end of the splines where the splines are attached to the basket catheter.

Assignees

• Tegg Troy T
• Stehr Richard E
• St Jude Medical Atrial Fibrill

Inventors

• Tegg Troy T
• Stehr Richard E

Classifications

• A61B2018/00839

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

• A61B2218/002

  Irrigation · CPC title

• C08L2201/12

  Shape memory · CPC title

• A61B2018/00214

  Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon · CPC title

• A61B2090/065

  for measuring contact or contact pressure · CPC title