Catheter with Fibonacci distributed electrodes
A catheter has a mapping assembly having a plurality of splines mounted at its distal portion. The splines each have a proximal end disposed at the distal portion of the catheter body and a distal end and configured as a Fibonacci spiral arm that diverges outwardly from the proximal end. The splines have a support arm with shape memory, a non-conductive covering in surrounding relation to the support arm, at least one location sensor mounted at or near the distal end, a plurality of electrodes mounted in surrounding relation to the non-conductive covering, and a plurality of electrode lead wires extending within the non-conductive covering. Each electrode lead wire is attached to a corresponding one of the electrodes.
1. A catheter comprising:
an elongated catheter body having a distal portion and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; and
a mapping assembly mounted at the distal portion of the catheter body and comprising a plurality of splines, each of the splines having a proximal end disposed at the distal portion of the catheter body and a distal end and configured as a Fibonacci spiral arm that follows a portion of a Fibonacci sequence so as to diverge outwardly from the proximal end, wherein each of the splines comprises:
a support arm having shape memory;
a non-conductive covering in surrounding relation to the support arm; at least one location sensor mounted at or near the distal end;
a plurality of electrodes mounted in surrounding relation to the non-conductive covering; and
a plurality of electrode lead wires extending within the non-conductive covering, each electrode lead wire being attached to a corresponding one of the electrodes.
2. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are disposed at distances from the proximal end of the respective splines that correspond to a Fibonacci sequence.
3. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the splines further comprise a tip electrode mounted at or near the respective distal end thereof and electrically isolated from the support arm.
4. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the mapping assembly is moveable between an expanded arrangement, in which each of the splines extends radially outward from the catheter body, and a collapsed arrangement, in which each of the splines are disposed generally along a longitudinal axis of the catheter body.
5. The catheter according to claim 4 , wherein the splines are disposed on an expandable balloon, and the distal ends thereof bend in the expanded arrangement and converge at a central point.
6. The catheter according to claim 5 , wherein the splines comprise a first set of spiral arms having a left-directed curvature and a second set of spiral arms having a right-directed curvature that intersect with a number of the first set of spiral arms.
7. The catheter according to claim 5 , wherein a tip electrode is disposed at the central point.
8. The catheter according to claim 4 , wherein the distal ends of the splines converge at a central point in the expanded arrangement to define a basket.
9. The catheter according to claim 8 , wherein a tip electrode is disposed at the central point.
10. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the mapping assembly comprises eight splines.
11. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein the mapping assembly comprises 12 splines.
12. The catheter according to claim 1 , wherein a group of electrodes of the plurality of electrodes from neighboring ones of the splines are disposed so as to define approximately equilateral triangles.
13. A method comprising the steps of:
introducing a catheter into a heart to be mapped, wherein the catheter comprises:
an elongated catheter body having a distal portion and at least one lumen extending longitudinally therethrough; and
a mapping assembly mounted at the distal portion of the catheter body and comprising a plurality of splines, each of the splines having a proximal end disposed at the distal portion of the catheter body and a distal end and configured as a Fibonacci spiral arm that follows a portion of a Fibonacci sequence so as to diverge outwardly from the proximal end, wherein each of the splines comprises:
a support arm having shape memory;
a non-conductive covering in surrounding relation to the support arm; at least one location sensor mounted at or near the distal end;
a plurality of electrodes mounted in surrounding relation to the non-conductive covering; and
a plurality of electrode lead wires extending within the non-conductive covering, each electrode lead wire being attached to a corresponding one of the electrodes, the method further comprising:
positioning the mapping assembly so that at least one electrode from each spine is in contact with a respective location in the heart; and
recording respective electrical data from the at least one electrode of each spline.
14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising disposing a group of electrodes of the plurality of electrodes from neighboring ones of the splines so as to define approximately equilateral triangles, further comprising determining velocity vectors of electrical propagation from the recorded electrical data of the group of electrodes.
15. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising disposing the electrodes at distances from the proximal end of the respective splines that correspond to a Fibonacci sequence.
16. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising mounting a tip electrode at or near the respective distal end of the splines and electrically isolating the tip electrode from the support arm.
17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising alternating the mapping assembly between an expanded arrangement, in which each of the splines extends radially outward from the catheter body, and a collapsed arrangement, in which each of the splines is disposed generally along a longitudinal axis of the catheter body.
18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising disposing the splines as a first set of spiral arms having a left-directed curvature and a second set of spiral arms having a right-directed curvature that intersect with a number of the first set of spiral arms.
19. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising disposing the splines on an expandable balloon, and converging the distal ends thereof at a central point in the expanded arrangement.
20. The method according to claim 19 , further comprising disposing a tip electrode at the central point.
21. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising converging the distal ends at a central point in the expanded arrangement to define a basket.
22. The method according to claim 21 , wherein a tip electrode is disposed at the central point.
23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the mapping assembly comprises eight splines.
24. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the mapping assembly comprises 12 splines.