Variable density mapping catheter
Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to flexible high-density mapping catheters with a high-density array of mapping electrodes. These mapping catheters may be used to detect electrophysiological characteristics of tissue in contact with the electrodes, and may be used to diagnose cardiac conditions, such as cardiac arrhythmias for example.
1 . A basket catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter shaft including a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of co-axial catheter shafts disposed within the elongate catheter shaft including an outer shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an inner shaft;
a flexible basket catheter, including a plurality of splines, each coupled to a respective plurality of co-axial catheter shaft and configured to conform to tissue; and
a plurality of electrodes mounted to each of the plurality of splines, the plurality of electrodes comprising:
an ablation electrode configured to perform unipolar and/or monopolar ablation therapy; and
a plurality of mapping electrodes, wherein the plurality of mapping electrodes are relatively smaller than the ablation electrode;
wherein the outer shaft, intermediate shaft, and inner shaft are independently rotatable,
wherein rotatable actuation of the outer shaft, intermediate shaft, or inner shaft adjusts a relative angular spacing of one or more of the plurality of splines about a longitudinal axis of the catheter,
wherein the basket catheter is further configured with an adjustable relative spacing between the plurality of splines and thereby a variable areal density of the plurality of electrodes, and
wherein the adjustable relative spacing is provided by rotating one or more of the plurality of splines about the longitudinal axis of the basket catheter.
2 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of splines are configured to operate in
a global electrophysiology mapping configuration with the plurality of splines equally distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the basket catheter, and
a regional electrophysiology mapping configuration with the plurality of splines unevenly distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the basket catheter.
3 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , further including an actuation mechanism coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, that is configured in response to a control input from a clinician to rotate one or more of the splines about the longitudinal axis of the catheter, thereby varying the relative spacing of the electrodes across the plurality of splines.
4 . The basket catheter of claim 2 , wherein the basket catheter, in the regional electrophysiology mapping configuration forms one or more high-density electrode array regions.
5 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are spot electrodes and the plurality of splines include flexible electronic circuit boards that are communicatively and mechanically coupled to the plurality of electrodes.
6 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the center-to-center distance between the plurality of electrodes along a length of the splines is between 0.1 and 4 millimeters, and the plurality of electrodes are configured to sample electrical characteristics of contacted tissue in at least two substantially transverse directions.
7 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to collect electrical characteristics of the tissue.
8 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are configured to sample electrical characteristics of the contacted tissue, and the sampled electrical characteristics are collectively indicative of the electrical characteristics of the contacted tissue independent of the orientation of the basket catheter relative to the tissue.
9 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of splines are rotationally offset from an adjacent spline by approximately 45 degrees in a global electrophysiology mapping configuration.
10 . The basket catheter of claim 9 , wherein at least one or more of the plurality of splines is rotationally offset from an adjacent spline by a range approximately from 30 degrees to 60 degrees in a regional electrophysiology mapping configuration.
11 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of splines comprises eight splines equally distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the basket catheter in a first configuration.
12 . The basket catheter of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise bipole pairs configured to sense electrical characteristics of the tissue in contact with the basket catheter independent of the orientation of the basket catheter relative to the tissue.
13 . The basket catheter of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are further configured for impedance based location or position sensing of the basket catheter for cardiac mapping.
14 . The basket catheter of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise bipole pairs configured for bipolar ablation.
15 . The basket catheter of claim 11 , where the plurality of splines are unevenly distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis of the catheter in a second configuration, wherein at least two or more of the plurality of splines are rotationally offset from an adjacent spline by a range approximately from 30 degrees to 60 degrees.
16 . The basket catheter of claim 15 , wherein the basket catheter in the second configuration forms at least two or more high-density electrode array regions.
17 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , further comprising a distal cap coupling distal ends of the plurality of splines to one another along the longitudinal axis of the basket catheter.
18 . The basket catheter of claim 17 , further comprising a deployment member coupled to the distal cap and extending proximally to a handle coupled to the proximal end of the catheter shaft, wherein actuation of the deployment member expands or contracts the basket catheter.
19 . A basket catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter shaft including a proximal end and a distal end;
a plurality of co-axial catheter shafts disposed within the elongate catheter shaft including an outer shaft, an intermediate shaft, and an inner shaft;
a flexible basket catheter, including a plurality of splines, each coupled to a respective plurality of co-axial catheter shaft and configured to conform to tissue; and
a plurality of electrodes mounted to each of the plurality of splines, the plurality of electrodes comprising:
an ablation electrode configured to perform unipolar and/or monopolar ablation therapy; and
a plurality of mapping electrodes, wherein the plurality of mapping electrodes are relatively smaller than the ablation electrode;
wherein the outer shaft, intermediate shaft, and inner shaft are independently rotatable,
wherein rotatable actuation of the outer shaft, intermediate shaft, or inner shaft adjusts a relative angular spacing of one or more of the plurality of splines about a longitudinal axis of the catheter,
wherein the basket catheter is further configured with an adjustable relative spacing between the plurality of splines and thereby a variable areal density of the plurality of electrodes.
20 . The basket catheter of claim 1 , further comprising an elastomeric cap, coupled to the distal end of the catheter shaft, partially encapsulating proximal portions of the plurality of splines for facilitating movement of the splines.