US 11,849,995 B2
Detection of balloon catheter tissue contact using optical measurement
Assaf Govari, Haifa (IL)
Assigned to Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd., Yokneam (IL)
Filed by Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd., Yokneam (IL)
Filed on Feb. 18, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/179,254.
Prior Publication US 2022/0257314 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/1492 (2013.01) [A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00982 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A medical system, comprising:
a catheter, comprising a distal-end assembly for performing a medical operation on tissue in a cavity of an organ of a patient, the distal-end assembly comprising an optical fiber configured to guide transmitted light to interact with the tissue of the cavity, and to guide returned light that interacted with the tissue;
a light source configured to produce the transmitted light;
a detector configured to measure the returned light;
a circulator configured to couple the transmitted light from the light source to the optical fiber, and to couple the returned light from the optical fiber to the detector; and
a processor, configured to establish a reference value for an intensity of the returned light while the distal-end assembly is not in contact with the tissue and to identify a contact of the distal-end assembly with the tissue based on a change in the intensity of the returned light relative to the reference value.