Patent ID: 11896284
Assignee: ST. JUDE MEDICAL, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DIVISION, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 11:
12. A method of determining an impedance of a cardiac tissue volume, comprising:
providing an electrophysiology catheter with an elongated shaft configured for intra-cardiac use and having a proximal end and a distal end, a first electrode disposed at the distal end, a second electrode proximal of the first electrode, wherein the second electrode comprises a ring electrode, wherein providing the catheter further comprises:
providing a first sense lead electrically connected to the first electrode and extending through the shaft to the proximal end; and
providing a second sense lead, different from the first sense lead, electrically connected to the second electrode and extending through the shaft to the proximal end wherein providing the catheter further includes configuring the first and second sense leads for connection to an impedance sensor;

producing an excitation signal comprising an electrical current proximate the first electrode;
measuring, between the first and second electrodes, a response signal induced by the excitation signal as observed across the first and second electrodes; and
processing the response signal, based on the excitation signal, to determine an impedance of the cardiac tissue volume.