Patent ID: 9066726
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: A61B,A61F,A61N

Abstract:
1. A system, comprising: an intravascular catheter comprising an elongated shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion configured for intravascular insertion into a body lumen of a human patient; a therapeutic assembly carried by the distal portion of the shaft, the therapeutic assembly including— an energy delivery element configured to deliver energy to modulate nerves associated with sympathetic neural function; a cylindrical capacitive sensor configured to measure contact force against a wall of the body lumen, the sensor being disposed at or proximate to the energy delivery element, the cylindrical capacitive sensor having a plurality of regions that are circumferentially separated by one or more non-conductive areas; and a controller operably connected to the energy delivery element and the cylindrical capacitive sensor, the controller configured to— obtain a plurality of contact force measurements corresponding individually to the plurality of regions; and determine an orientation of the energy delivery element relative to the wall of the body lumen based on at least one of the plurality of contact force measurements.