Balloon catheter with diagnostic electrodes, far field detection electrodes, and guidewire
A medical apparatus includes a shaft, an expandable frame, a membrane, a diagnostic electrode, a reference electrode, and a processor. The shaft is configured for insertion into an organ of a patient. The expandable frame is coupled to a distal end of the shaft. The diagnostic electrode, which is disposed on an external surface of the expandable frame, is configured to sense diagnostic signals when in contact with tissue. The reference electrode is disposed on a surface of the expandable frame directly opposite the diagnostic electrode, wherein the reference electrode is electrically insulated from the tissue and is configured to sense interfering signals.
1. A medical apparatus, comprising:
a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be inserted into an organ of a patient;
a flexible end effector disposed at a distal end of the shaft, the flexible end effector comprising a plurality of spines, each spine of the plurality of spines comprising:
a plurality of diagnostic electrodes disposed on a first side of the spine, the plurality of diagnostic electrodes each being configured to sense diagnostic signals when in contact with tissue;
and a reference electrode disposed on a second side of the spine opposite the diagnostic electrode, the reference electrode being electrically insulated from each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes and the tissue and configured to sense interfering signals, the reference electrode being larger than each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes.
2. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode extends from about a proximal end of the spine to about a distal end of the spine.
3. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode comprises a plurality of reference electrodes disposed on the second side of the spine and electrically connected to each other.
4. The medical apparatus of claim 3 , wherein each reference electrode of the plurality of reference electrodes is larger than the diagnostic electrode.
5. The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the spine is made of flexible printed circuit board (PCB), and wherein the diagnostic electrode and the reference electrode are disposed on opposing facets of the flexible PCB.
6. The medical apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of flexible printed circuit boards (PCBs); and
an inflatable membrane disposed in a volume defined by the PCBs, wherein the reference electrode is in contact with the inflatable membrane.
7. The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the shaft is hollow along the longitudinal axis thereof, and wherein the medical apparatus further comprises a guidewire configured to be inserted through the shaft and to guide the flexible end effector toward a target location in the organ.
8. The medical apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the interfering signals comprise far-field bio-electrical signals.
9. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising: a processor, which is configured to: receive the diagnostic signals sensed by each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes; receive the interfering signals sensed by the reference electrode; and calculate corrected diagnostic signals by subtracting the interfering signals from the diagnostic signals.
10. The medical apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the reference electrode extends from about a proximal end of the flexible end effector to about a distal end of the flexible end effector.
11. The medical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the reference electrode is at least partially encapsulated in an electrically insulating material.
12. The medical apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the electrically insulating material comprises a water-resistant seal.
13. A medical system, comprising:
a flexible end effector disposed at a distal end of a shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, the flexible end effector comprising a plurality of spines, each spine of the plurality of spines comprising:
a plurality of diagnostic electrodes disposed on a first side of the spine, each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes being configured to sense diagnostic signals when in contact with tissue; and
a reference electrode disposed on a second side of the spine opposite the plurality of diagnostic electrodes, the reference electrode being (1) electrically insulated from each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes and the tissue, (2) larger than each diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes, and (3) configured to sense interfering signals; and a processor, which is configured to:
receive the diagnostic signals sensed by at least one diagnostic electrode of the plurality of diagnostic electrodes;
receive the interfering signals sensed by at least one reference electrode; and
calculate corrected diagnostic signals by subtracting the interfering signals from the diagnostic signals.
14. The medical system of claim 13 , wherein the reference electrode extends from about a proximal end of the spine to about a distal end of the spine.
15. The medical system of claim 13 , wherein the flexible end effector is configured to transition between a collapsed state and an expanded state.
16. The medical system of claim 13 , wherein the diagnostic electrode is at least partially encapsulated in an insulating material.