Contact pressure assessment for cryoballoon ablation catheters

1 . A method of ablating tissue, the method comprising:

positioning a treatment device proximate to a target tissue area, the treatment device having an expandable treatment element;

inflating the expandable treatment element with a refrigerant during an inflation phase such that at least a portion of the expandable treatment element is in contact with the target tissue area;

recording a first pressure measurement within the inflated expandable treatment element during the inflation phase and comparing the first pressure measurement to a predetermined pressure threshold;

circulating the refrigerant within the expandable treatment element during an ablation phase to reduce a temperature of the target tissue area to a temperature sufficient to cryoablate the target tissue area;

recording a second pressure measurement within the inflated expandable treatment element during the ablation phase and comparing the second pressure measurement to the predetermined pressure threshold;

calculating a difference between the first pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold; and

assigning a first contact score based on the calculated difference, the assigned first contact score being indicative of a quality of tissue contact by the expandable treatment element during the inflation phase.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

calculating a difference between the second pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold; and

assigning a second contact score based on the calculated difference between the second pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold, the assigned second contact score being indicative of a quality of tissue contact by the expandable treatment element during the ablation phase.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further including:

determining whether undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase based, in part, on at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

generating an alert if it is determined that undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.

5 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of:

adjusting a flow rate of the refrigerant if it is determined that undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase; and

discontinuing the circulation of the refrigerant if it is determined that undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.

6 . The method of claim 2 , further including:

determining whether the second contact score is indicative of inadequate tissue contact;

generating an alert if the second contact score indicates inadequate tissue contact during the ablation phase; and

at least one of adjusting a flow rate of the refrigerant and discontinuing the circulation of the refrigerant if the second contact score indicates inadequate tissue contact during the ablation phase.

7 . A system for ablating tissue, comprising:

a treatment device including an expandable treatment element and a pressure monitoring tube having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, the distal portion being partially disposed within the expandable treatment element;

a control unit in communication with the treatment device, the control unit including processing circuitry configured to:

initiate and transition between an inflation phase and an ablation phase;

record a first pressure measurement of the expandable treatment element during the inflation phase and compare the first pressure measurement to a predetermined pressure threshold;

record a second pressure measurement of the expandable treatment element during the ablation phase and compare the second pressure measurement to the predetermined pressure threshold;

calculate a difference of the first pressure measurement and the second pressure measurement from the predetermined pressure threshold;

assign a first contact score based on a comparison of the calculated difference between the first pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold to a predefined table; and

assign a second contact score based on a comparison of the calculated difference between the second pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold to the predefined table.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the control unit further includes:

a fluid supply reservoir in fluid communication with the expandable treatment element; and

a pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the expandable treatment element.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the inflation phase includes inflating the expandable treatment element such that the expandable treatment element is in contact with a target tissue area.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the ablation phase includes delivering the refrigerant from the fluid supply reservoir to the expandable treatment element to treat the target tissue area.

11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

determine whether undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase based, in part, on at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to generate an alert if it is determined that undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to perform one operation selected from the group consisting of:

adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant if undue force is being applied to the treatment device during the at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase; and

discontinue the delivery of the refrigerant if undue force is being applied to the treatment device during the at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine whether at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score is indicative of inadequate tissue contact.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

generate an alert if the at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score indicates inadequate tissue contact during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase; and

at least one of adjust a flow rate of the refrigerant and discontinue the circulation of the refrigerant if the at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score indicates inadequate tissue contact during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.

16 . A system for ablating tissue, comprising:

a treatment device including an expandable treatment element and a pressure monitoring tube having a proximal portion and an opposite distal portion, the distal portion being partially disposed within the expandable treatment element;

a control unit in communication with the treatment device, the control unit including:

a fluid supply reservoir in fluid communication with the expandable treatment element;

a pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure of the expandable treatment element; and

processing circuitry configured to:

initiate and transition between an inflation phase and an ablation phase, the inflation phase including inflating the expandable treatment element with a refrigerant such that the expandable treatment element is in contact with a target tissue area, the ablation phase including delivering the refrigerant from the fluid supply reservoir to the expandable treatment element to treat the target tissue area;

record a first pressure measurement of the expandable treatment element during the inflation phase;

calculate a difference between the first pressure measurement and a predetermined pressure threshold;

assign a first contact score based on a comparison of the calculated difference between the first pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold to a predefined scale;

record a second pressure measurement of the expandable treatment element during the ablation phase;

calculate a difference between the second pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold;

assign a second contact score based on a comparison of the calculated difference between the second pressure measurement and the predetermined pressure threshold to a predefined table;

determine whether undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase based, in part, on at least one of the first contact score and the second contact score; and

generate an alert if it is determined that undue force is being applied to the treatment device during at least one of the ablation phase and the inflation phase.