US 11,839,423 B2
Ablation catheter designs and methods with enhanced diagnostic capabilities
Dale E. Just, Minneapolis, MN (US); D. Curtis Deno, Andover, MN (US); Ram K. Balachandran, Maple Grove, MN (US); and Troy T. Tegg, Elk River, MN (US)
Assigned to St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 14/911,474
Filed by St. Jude Medical, Cardiology Division, Inc., St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 28, 2014, PCT No. PCT/US2014/062562
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 11, 2016,
PCT Pub. No. WO2015/065966, PCT Pub. Date May 7, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/896,304, filed on Oct. 28, 2013.
Prior Publication US 2016/0192982 A1, Jul. 7, 2016
Int. Cl. A61B 18/14 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 18/1492 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00318 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00077 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00083 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00107 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00148 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00797 (2013.01); A61B 2018/1405 (2013.01); A61B 2218/002 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tip electrode comprising:
an electrically-insulative substrate comprising a receiving lumen, a plurality of irrigation flow holes, a tip portion, a proximal portion, and at least two thermal sensor channels defined in a laterally facing exterior surface of the tip portion of the electrically-insulative substrate;
at least two segmented tip electrodes deposited on the outer surface of the tip portion, each of the segmented tip electrodes disposed over a respective one of the thermal sensor channels, thereby covering each respective one of the thermal sensor channels, wherein the at least two segmented tip electrodes are thermally isolated from one another, such that a thermal sensor disposed in each of the at least two thermal sensor channels is configured to obtain an independent temperature reading of a respective segmented tip electrode, the segmented tip electrodes extending from a most proximal edge of the tip portion to a distal end of the tip portion;
an insulation sleeve configured to circumferentially surround and electrically insulate the proximal portion of the segmented tip electrodes, the insulation sleeve comprising at least one recess gap;
a deflection pull ring configured to mate with the insulation sleeve; and
a conductor grooming component proximal to the electrically-insulative substrate and configured to secure a plurality of conductor wires;
wherein a portion of an inner surface of the electrically-insulative substrate defines the receiving lumen and the irrigation flow holes extend radially through the electrically-insulative substrate and terminate adjacent an outer surface of the electrically-insulative substrate, wherein the electrically-insulative substrate electrically insulates the at least two segmented tip electrodes from one another, and
wherein the receiving lumen is fluidly coupled to the plurality of irrigation flow holes and the receiving lumen is configured to be fluidly coupled to a catheter body.