Granted Patent B2

US 12,508,411 · App. 17/850,174 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Inventor: Steven Richard Mickelsen (Iowa Clty, IA)

Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation

A61M39/10A61B5/0538A61B5/4833A61B18/1206A61B18/1492A61B34/73A61M25/0127A61M25/0169A61M25/0606A61M25/09A61B2017/00876A61B17/22004A61B2018/00363A61B2018/00375A61B2018/00577A61B2018/00613A61B2018/0075A61B2018/00839A61B18/02A61B2018/126A61B2018/128A61B2018/1467A61B18/1815A61B18/20A61B2034/731A61B2217/005A61B2218/002A61M2025/0089

Abstract

Claims (25)

1 . An ablation system, comprising:

a catheter comprising a set of electrodes including subsets of electrodes, each subset including at least one first electrode configured to have a first polarity and at least one second electrode configured to have a second polarity opposite the first polarity, wherein the catheter is configured to be positioned to apply ablative energy to a selected tissue region to create an ablation within a heart of a subject, the set of electrodes disposed on an elongated portion of the catheter; and

a signal generator configured to generate a pulsed waveform to the subsets of electrodes along one or more current paths that each extend from at least one first electrode of a subset of electrodes through an endocardial space of the heart and to at least one second electrode of the subset of electrodes, such that the subsets of electrodes generate one or more electric fields that cause the ablation through irreversible electroporation of tissue,

wherein the one or more electric fields extends into a vector, the vector extending into ventricular myocardium, epicardial fat, pericardial space and parietal pericardium.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pulsed waveform comprises high voltage ultra short direct current impulses.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the ultra short direct current impulses allows the catheter to create the ablation without contacting the selected tissue region.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the subset of electrodes is configured for selective, independent activation to apply the ablative energy to the selected tissue region.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catheter further comprises high impedance structures to change current density at specific points.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the change within the current density changes a contour of the current moving between the electrodes, which can lead to an increased current density at a point farthest along the current from the electrodes.

7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the high impedance structures have an adjustable height.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the subset of electrodes further comprises at least one third electrode configured to record signals of the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a linear lesion is created on the heart of the subject without repositioning the catheter.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is manually placed within the subject.

11 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a routing console configured to control the delivery of the pulsed waveform.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the routing console further comprises a synchronization trigger to ensure signals sent to the electrodes are applied in synchronization with a cardiac cycle.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the catheter is flexible to conform to natural anatomy contours of the subject.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more electric fields extends into the vector avoids a bystander vulnerable structure.

15 . A method, comprising:

selecting, from a set of electrodes of a catheter, subsets of electrodes each including at least one first electrode configured to have a first polarity and at least one second electrode configured to have a second polarity opposite the first polarity, the catheter being positioned to apply ablative energy to a selected tissue region to create an ablation within a heart of a subject, the set of electrodes disposed on an elongated portion of the catheter;

generating, via a signal generator, a pulsed waveform; and

delivering the pulsed waveform to the subsets of electrodes along one or more current paths that each extend from at least one first electrode of a subset of electrodes through an endocardial space of the heart and to at least one second electrode of the subset of electrodes, such that the subsets of electrodes generate one or more electric fields that cause irreversible electroporation of tissue wherein the one or more electric fields extends into a vector, the vector extending into ventricular myocardium, epicardial fat, pericardial space and parietal pericardium.

16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the pulsed waveform comprises high voltage ultra short direct current impulses which allows the catheter to create the ablation without contacting the selected tissue region.

17 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the subset of electrodes is configured for selective, independent activation to apply the ablative energy to the selected tissue region.

18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the catheter further comprises high impedance structures to change current density at specific points.

19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the delivering of the pulsed waveform is controlled by a routing console with a synchronization trigger to ensure signals sent to the electrodes are applied in synchronization with a cardiac cycle.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (400)