Endocardial mapping and ablation system utilizing separately controlled steerable ablation catheter with ultrasonic imaging capabilities and method

Claim 1

A system for use in endocardial mapping and ablation, for introduction into a chamber of the heart formed by a wall and having a passage leading thereto comprising a catheter probe having a distal extremity adapted to be positioned in the chamber of the heart, a plurality of flexible longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced-apart arms adapted to be disposed within the chamber of the heart, electrodes carried by the arms and adapted to be moved into engagement with the wall of the heart, ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms for encoding the arms so that one arm can be distinguished from another, an ablation catheter carried by and slidably mounted in the catheter probe and having a distal extremity movable into the chamber of the heart while the catheter probe is disposed therein, said ablation catheter having control means whereby the distal extremity can be moved independently of movement of the catheter probe while the distal extremity of the catheter probe is in the chamber of the heart, an ablation electrode carried by the distal extremity of the ablation catheter, ultrasonic viewing means carried by the distal extremity of the ablation catheter, said control means including means coupled to the distal extremity of the ablation catheter for moving the distal extremity of the ablation catheter into position to view the ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms of the catheter probe, and said ultrasonic viewing means for identifying the arms and for ascertaining spacing of the arms, and means for creating an isochronal map of potentials being mapped within the chamber of the heart and means for correcting the isochronal map in accordance with the spacing in between the arms of the catheter probe.

Claim 2

A system for use in endocardial mapping and ablation, for introduction into a chamber of the heart formed by a wall and having a passage leading thereto comprising a catheter probe having a distal extremity adapted to be positioned in the chamber of the heart, a plurality of flexible longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced-apart arms adapted to be disposed within the chamber of the heart, electrodes carried by the arms and adapted to be moved into engagement with the wall of the heart, ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms for encoding the arms so that one arm can be distinguished from another, an ablation catheter carried by and slidably mounted in the catheter probe and having a distal extremity movable into the chamber of the heart while the catheter probe is disposed therein, said ablation catheter having control means whereby the distal extremity can be moved independently of movement of the catheter probe while the distal extremity of the catheter probe is in the chamber of the heart, an ablation electrode carried by the distal extremity of the ablation catheter, ultrasonic viewing means carried by the distal extremity of the ablation catheter, said control means including means coupled to the distal extremity of the ablation catheter for moving the distal extremity of the ablation catheter into position to view the ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms of the catheter probe, and said ultrasonic viewing means for identifying the arms and for ascertaining spacing of the arms, and means for creating an isochronal map of potentials being mapped within the chamber of the heart and means for correcting the isochronal map in accordance with the spacing in between the arms of the catheter probe.

Claim 6

A method for endocardial mapping and ablation of the wall of a heart forming a chamber in the heart and having a passage leading thereto comprising steps of using a catheter probe having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced-apart flexible arms with electrodes carried thereby and having ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms encoding the arms, and an ablation catheter having a distal extremity with ultrasonic viewing capabilities carried by the distal extremity further comprising the steps of introducing the catheter probe into the chamber of the heart and expanding the arms so that the electrodes carried thereby are moved into engagement with the wall forming the chamber of the heart, measuring potentials picked up by the electrodes, advancing the ablation catheter into the same chamber of the heart while the catheter probe is disposed therein, viewing the arms with ultrasonic energy by the ablation catheter to view the ultrasonic markers carried by the arms to ascertain the identity of the arms and to ascertain the spacing between the arms and performing an ablation in the wall of the heart with the ablation catheter.

Claim 7

A method for endocardial mapping and ablation of the wall of a heart forming a chamber in the heart and having a passage leading thereto comprising steps of using a catheter probe having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced-apart flexible arms with electrodes carried thereby and having ultrasonically visible markers carried by the arms encoding the arms, and an ablation catheter having a distal extremity with ultrasonic viewing capabilities carried by the distal extremity further comprising the steps of introducing the catheter probe into the chamber of the heart and expanding the arms so that the electrodes carried thereby are moved into engagement with the wall forming the chamber of the heart, measuring potentials picked up by the electrodes, advancing the ablation catheter into the same chamber of the heart while the catheter probe is disposed therein, viewing the arms with ultrasonic energy by the ablation catheter to view the ultrasonic markers carried by the arms to ascertain the identity of the arms and to ascertain the spacing between the arms and performing an ablation in the wall of the heart with the ablation catheter.