Bendable catheter arms having varied flexibility

US8588885B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• St. Jude Medical, Atrial Fibrillation Division, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Sacha C. Hall · Westborough, US
• Dale E. Just · Minneapolis, US
• Alan de la Rama · Cerritos, US
• Cary Hata · Irvine, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 25, 2011
• Grant date: Nov 19, 2013
• Expiry date: Dec 21, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2018/00839
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In various embodiments, a catheter comprising an expandable electrode assembly or basket is provided. In specific embodiments, the basket is particularly useful for mapping electrical activity at one or more locations within the heart. The basket can comprise a plurality of bendable or deflectable arms. At least one of the arms may have varied flexibility over its length in the form of one or more discontinuities of stiffness or flexibility at an elbow region or other variances in flexibility over the arm's length. Such variance in flexibility may allow the arm to assume a different bent configuration or respond to external factors more positively than possible with an arm having a static or near static flexibility or stiffness over its length.