Patent ID: 8060184
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A medical device and system for navigating the medical device through an operating region in a subject's body, comprising: a plurality of transmitting devices at known fixed locations relative to the subject's body, being configured to transmit signals from fixed reference locations; a medical device having a plurality of lead wires that extend through the length of the medical device and connect to at least three coils in the distal end portion of the medical device, the at least three coils comprising a radiopaque material and being capable of receiving the signals transmitted from the plurality of transmitters and of generating magnetic fields of at least about 1 Gauss at the location of the distal end portion of the medical device to thereby establish a magnetic moment at the distal end portion; a processor in connection with the plurality of lead wires, the processor being configured to process the signals received from the transmitters by the at least three coils and to determine the location of the distal tip relative to the frame of reference of the reference locations; an external source magnet for applying a magnetic field to the operating region of the subject's body, the external source magnet being configured to change the direction of the applied magnetic field; an X-ray imaging system capable of identifying the position of the at least three radiopaque coils relative to markers positioned at known reference locations, to thereby determine the position of the distal end portion for facilitating navigation of the medical device; a power source that may be selectively connected to one or more of the at least three coils to establish a magnetic moment in the distal end portion of the medical device, which magnetic moment causes the distal end of the medical device to orient relative to the applied magnetic field, to thereby direct the distal end portion of the medical device; wherein when the distal end portion of the medical device is being navigated in the presence of a flowable radiopaque material in the subject's body that impairs the accurate location of the radiopaque coils via the X-ray imaging system, the system is configured to selectively connect electric power to one or more of the three coils to change the magnetic moment relative to an externally applied magnetic field, to cause the temporary displacement of the distal end portion so that the location of the distal end portion can be located by the processor that receives signals, to thereby determine the location of the distal end portion within the flowable radiopaque material.