Electrode assemblies include segmented electrodes disposed on a catheter. The segmented electrodes can be constructed at the tip of the catheter. Tip electrodes can be constructed from an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace.

BACKGROUND

Field

The instant disclosure relates to ablation tips that have feedback capability. In one embodiment, the instant disclosure relates to ablation tips that provide dual-mode, omni-directional feedback so that lesion, mapping and/or force assessments can be made regardless of the orientation of the tip.

Background Art

Electrophysiology catheters are used in a variety of diagnostic and/or therapeutic medical procedures to diagnose and/or correct conditions such as atrial arrhythmias, including for example, ectopic atrial tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter. Arrhythmias can create a variety of conditions including irregular heart rates, loss of synchronous atrioventricular contractions and stasis of blood flow in a chamber of a heart which can lead to a variety of symptomatic and asymptomatic ailments and even death.

A medical procedure in which an electrophysiology catheter is used includes a first diagnostic catheter deployed through a patient's vasculature to a patient's heart or a chamber or vein thereof. An electrophysiology catheter that carries one or more electrodes can be used for cardiac mapping or diagnosis, ablation and/or other therapy delivery modes, or both. Once at the intended site, treatment can include, for example, radio frequency (RF) ablation, cryoablation, laser ablation, chemical ablation, high-intensity focused ultrasound-based ablation, electroporation ablation or microwave ablation. An electrophysiology catheter imparts ablative energy to cardiac tissue to create one or more lesions in the cardiac tissue and oftentimes, a contiguous, and transmural lesion. This lesion disrupts undesirable cardiac activation pathways and thereby limits, corrals, or prevents errant conduction signals that can form or sustain arrhythmias.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The instant disclosure, in at least one embodiment, relates to a tip electrode of a catheter comprising an electrically-insulative substrate.

In one embodiment, tip electrode can comprise an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor trace.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for ablating tissue can comprise a tip electrode comprising an electrically insulative substrate comprising an inner lumen, an external tip surface, and a plurality of channels extending from the inner lumen to the external tip surface, a plurality of segmented electrodes, and a plurality of spot electrodes. Each of the plurality of segmented electrodes and each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be laterally separated from each other by an electrically non-conductive substrate portion and each of the spot electrodes and each of the segmented electrodes can be electrically coupled to at least one wire or conductor. The system can further comprise an electronic control unit configured to control the plurality of spot electrodes and the plurality of segmented electrodes to bipolar pace cardiac tissue.

In yet another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for determining a tissue characteristic can comprise an electronic control unit configured to measure a pre-lesion impedance at a known temperature of a target site, measure an impedance at a known temperature of the target site after ablation has occurred, and utilize a model of lesion impedance behavior to determine a state of the target site.

In yet another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for determining a tissue characteristic can comprise an electronic unit configured to measure a heat flow ability of a target site before ablation has occurred, measure a heat flow ability of the target site after ablation has occurred, and use a thermal model of the target site to deduce at-least a depthwise temperature profile of the target site based on the before and after heat flow ability. The heat flow ability can be measured by changing a rate of heat accumulation in the target site and observing the corresponding change in a tissue surface temperature.

In yet another embodiment of the disclosure, a system for determining a tissue characteristic can comprise an electronic control unit configured to measure a pre-lesion impedance at a known temperature of a target site, measure an impedance at a known temperature of the target site after some ablation has occurred, utilize a model of lesion impedance behavior to determine a state of the target site, measure a heat flow ability of the target site before some ablation has occurred, measure a heat flow ability of the target site after some ablation has occurred, utilize a thermal model of the target site to obtain at-least a depthwise temperature profile of the target site based on the before and after heat flow, and employ both results via a weighting of the two results to determine a weighted lesion state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It will be appreciated that the terms “proximal” and “distal” may be used throughout the specification with reference to a clinician manipulating one end of an instrument used to treat a patient. The term “proximal” refers to the portion of the instrument closest to the clinician and the term “distal” refers to the portion located furthest from the clinician. It will be further appreciated that for conciseness and clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical,” “horizontal,” “up,” and “down” may be used herein with respect to the illustrated embodiments. However, surgical instruments may be used in many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended to be limiting and absolute.

It can be desirable to monitor and/or control the temperature of ablation electrode assemblies. It can also be desirable to use ablation electrode assemblies to provide irrigation fluid during RF ablation. RF ablation catheters can be configured to provide temperature feedback during RF ablation via a thermal sensor such as a thermocouple or thermistor. Typically, the temperature reading provided by a single thermal sensor inside an irrigated tip ablation electrode cannot accurately represent the temperature of the electrode/tissue interface. One reason is because a portion of the electrode that is in direct contact with the targeted tissue can have a higher temperature than the interior of the electrode where a single thermocouple typically resides because tip irrigation forms a thermal gradient from the tip external surface to the tip interior.

Secondly, even properly knowing the surface interface temperature of the tip/tissue interface, the irrigation fluid can cause at-least the near surface of the target tissue to be subcooled relative to deeper tissues beyond the reach of the cooling effect but still within the RF affected heated zone. Thus the hottest spot of an irrigated lesion can be below the target tissue surface by a millimeter or two. So for better thermal control one can at-least get rid of the in-tip temperature gradient error such as by placing the thermocouple on the tip exterior surface as this invention teaches. The in-tissue temperature gradient which remains may be modeled or estimated such as by this disclosure.

Thus, if the tip thermal sensor is in direct contact with the targeted surface tissue such as by being situated on a tip surface facing that tissue, then the thermal sensor can provide a temperature reading generally corresponding to the actual temperature of the targeted tissue surface albeit that surface temperature is still suppressed by irrigation-cooling relative to deeper subsurface tissue within the RF treatment zone as stated above. Furthermore, multiple thermal sensors positioned at different tip surface locations on the electrode can be used to assure that at least one of them is directly facing the juxtaposed tissue to be lesioned no matter the rotational state of the tip relative to the tissue. For example and without limitation, the highest measured temperature of all these temperature sensing locations is likely the one facing the ablating tissue.

The ability to assess lesion formation during ablation is a desirable feature. This is achieved in today's practice by monitoring electrograms (EGM's) and pacing from electrodes before, during and after RF ablation. Closely spaced electrodes, either at or near the ablation tip can potentially provide highly local information that can be used to assess the effectiveness of the ablation therapy. That is to say that multiple electrodes facing a lesion on a catheter tip can be employed as bipolar pairs such that the electrical impedance between such nearby pairs and thereby also selectively through the intervening adjacent target-tissue and resulting lesion itself can be measured. The additional sensing electrodes can also be used to individually characterize the electrophysiology of the local substrate. This can help to diagnose the arrhythmia, determine the site for ablation and judge the resulting lesion size/depth.

FIG. 1is a diagrammatic depiction of an exemplary intracardiac mapping and navigation system10for use with various medical devices that are capable of utilizing an ablating catheter electrode assembly with dual-mode, omni-directional feedback capabilities of the present disclosure. Dual-mode, omni-directional feedback capabilities can comprise thermal and electrical sensing modes that include temperature and calorimetry. Dual-mode, omni-directional feedback capabilities can further include pacing, impedance, and omnipolar electrograms as described herein. In other embodiments, dual-mode, omni-directional feedback capabilities can refer to electrograms and impedance sensing, extending the single mode electrogram approach of OIS as described herein. The system10may include various visualization, mapping and navigation components as known in the art, including, for example, an EnSite™ Velocity™ system commercially available from St. Jude Medical, Inc., or as seen generally, for example, by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,397, or U.S. Pat. No. 7,885,707, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties as though fully set forth herein. With reference to the present disclosure, the system10is configured to, among other things, collect cardiologic data, particularly impedance and temperature information, from intra-tip electrodes and sensors, respectively, mounted to the medical device to thereby provide accurate, reliable and complimentary lesion information without regard to the orientation of the medical device. Such information can be used to perform real-time lesion assessment, in addition to providing orientation independent mapping. Further discussion of orientation independent mapping can be found in PCT Application no. PCT/US2014/037160, filed 7 May 2014 (the '160 reference), PCT Application no. PCT/US2015/017576, filed 25 Feb. 2015 (the '576 reference), and PCT Application no. PCT/US2015/017582, filed 25 Feb. 2015 (the '582 reference), which are each incorporated by reference in their entirety as though fully set forth herein. As such, users of the system10, such as clinicians, doctors, or cardiologists, may be able to more readily perform ablation procedures for remedying cardiac arrhythmia.

The system10may include an electronic control unit (ECU)12, an analog-to-digital converter (A-to-D)14, a low-pass filter (L.P.)16, a switch18, a signal generator20, and a plurality of body surface patch electrodes22. The system10may be electronically and/or mechanically coupled with an elongate medical device, such as, in one embodiment, a contact or non-contact mapping catheter (e.g., a cardiac mapping catheter24). The catheter24includes a distal end portion26and a proximal end portion28. The distal end portion26includes an electrode assembly32and extends into a heart36of a patient38. The proximal end portion28connects the catheter24to a switch18and to an irrigation pump (not shown).

The system10may be configured to provide, among other things, mapping of patient tissue, such as one or more chambers of the heart36of the patient38, and a 3D model bearing the surface geometry of the mapped cardiac tissue. Accordingly, the ECU12may be configured to receive electrical measurements from one or more electrodes coupled to the electrode assembly32on the mapping catheter24and, based on those measurements, to assess one or more electrical characteristics of tissue surrounding the distal end of the mapping catheter26. In an embodiment, the ECU12may be configured to determine a voltage distribution of an endocardial surface according to electrical measurements from mapping catheter electrode assembly32. The ECU12may be further configured to determine that voltage distribution with respect to an anatomical model, such as a model of one or more chambers, features, and/or surfaces of the heart36.

The ECU12may include a non-volatile memory40and a processor42configured to perform many of the functions and operations described herein—i.e., a memory40may store instructions for performing portions of one or more methods or processes described herein, and a processor42may be configured to execute those instructions to perform the methods or processes. The memory40may also be configured to store an anatomical model, such as a cardiac chamber model, a plurality of measurements from the mapping catheter24, a plurality of terms and values for the methods described below, and other data and information. In an embodiment, the ECU12may additionally or alternatively comprise a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) and/or other known computing device. In some embodiments, and as discussed further below, the ECU12may be configured to perform a method of computing a 2D projection and/or a partially unfolded surface of a 3D model in order to better facilitate visualization of the model and features of the model. The ECU may also include models of the impedance behavior or heat-flow (calorimetry) behavior of forming lesions.

In addition to (and as a part of) electrophysiology mapping, the system10may be configured to determine the position and orientation (P&O) of the mapping catheter24(e.g., particularly of the distal end portion26) within the patient38. Accordingly, the ECU12may be configured to control generation of one or more electrical fields and determine the position of one or more electrodes (e.g., the electrode assembly32) within those fields. The ECU12may thus be configured to the control signal generator20in accordance with predetermined strategies to selectively energize various pairs (bipoles) of the body surface patch electrodes22, as described in greater detail below. In operation, the ECU12may (1) obtain raw patch data (i.e., voltage readings) via the filter16and the A-to-D converter14and (2) use the raw patch data (in conjunction with electrode measurements) to determine the raw, uncompensated, electrode location coordinates of the electrode assembly32positioned inside the heart36or a chamber thereof in three-dimensional space. The ECU12may be further configured to perform one or more compensation and adjustment functions, and to output a location of the electrode assembly32. Motion compensation may include, for example, compensation for respiration-induced patient body movement, as described in U.S. Publication No. 2012/0172702, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

The body surface patch electrodes22may be used to generate axes-specific electric fields within the patient38, and more specifically within the heart36. Three sets of patch electrodes may be provided: (1) electrodes22X1,22X2, (X-axis); (2) electrodes22Y1,22Y2, (Y-axis); and (3) electrodes22Z1,22Z2, (Z-axis). Additionally, a body surface electrode (“belly patch”)22B, may be provided as an electrical reference. Other surface electrode configurations and combinations are suitable for use with the present disclosure, including fewer electrodes22, more electrodes22, or different physical arrangements, e.g. a linear arrangement instead of an orthogonal arrangement.

Each patch electrode22may be independently coupled to the switch18, and pairs of the patch electrodes22may be selected by software running on the ECU12to couple the patch electrodes22to the signal generator20. A pair of electrodes, for example the Z-axis electrodes22Z1,22Z2, may be excited by the signal generator20to generate an electrical field in the patient38and, more particularly, within the heart36. In one embodiment, this electrode excitation process occurs rapidly and sequentially as different sets of the patch electrodes22are selected and one or more of the unexcited surface electrodes22are used to measure voltages. During the delivery of the excitation signal (e.g., current pulse), the remaining (unexcited) patch electrodes22may be referenced to the belly patch22B and the voltages impressed on these remaining electrodes22may be measured. In this fashion, the patch electrodes22may be divided into driven and non-driven electrode sets. The low pass filter16may process the voltage measurements. The filtered voltage measurements may be transformed to digital data by the analog to digital converter14and transmitted to the ECU12for storage (e.g. in the memory40) under the direction of software. This collection of voltage measurements may be referred to herein as the “patch data.” The software may have access to each individual voltage measurement made at each surface electrode22during each excitation of each pair of surface electrodes22.

The patch data may be used, along with measurements made at the electrode assembly32, to determine a relative location of the electrode assembly32. The patch data may also be used along with measurements made at the electrode assembly32and/or other electrodes on the catheter24, such as a tip electrode, or on another device to determine a relative location of the electrode assembly32and/or the other electrodes. The discussion above and below describes determining the location of the electrode assembly32, but it should be understood to apply to a tip electrode and other electrodes, as well. In some embodiments, potentials across each of the six orthogonal patch electrodes22may be acquired for all samples except when a particular surface electrode pair is driven. In some embodiments, sampling a voltage with a particular patch electrode22while a surface electrode22acts as a source or sink in a driven pair may be avoided, as the potential measured at a driven electrode during this time may be skewed by the electrode impedance and the effects of high local current density. In an alternate embodiment, however, sampling may occur at all patch electrodes22, even those being driven.

Generally, in an embodiment, three nominally orthogonal electric fields may be generated by a series of driven and sensed electric bipoles in order to determine the location of the catheter24(i.e., of the electrode assembly32). Alternately, these orthogonal fields can be decomposed and any pair of surface electrodes (e.g., non-orthogonal) may be driven as bipoles to provide effective electrode triangulation.

FIGS. 2A-2Dshow a plurality of exemplary non-orthogonal bipoles, designated D0, D1, D2and D3. InFIGS. 2A-2D, the X-axis surface electrodes are designated XAand XB, the Y-axis surface electrodes are designated YAand YB, and the Z-axis electrodes are designated ZAand ZB. For any desired axis, the potentials measured across an intra-cardiac electrode assembly32resulting from a predetermined set of drive (source-sink) configurations may be combined algebraically to yield the same effective potential as would be obtained by simply driving a uniform current along the orthogonal axes. Any two of the patch electrodes22may be selected as a bipole source and drain, as noted above, with respect to a ground reference, e.g., the belly patch22B, while the unexcited body patch electrodes22measure voltage with respect to the ground reference. The electrode assembly32placed in the heart36is also exposed to the field from a current pulse, and voltages on electrode assembly32are individually and separately measured with respect to ground, e.g., the belly patch22B.

Referring again toFIG. 1, data sets from each of the patch electrodes22and the electrode assembly32are all used to determine the location of the electrode assembly32within the heart36. After the voltage measurements are made for a particular set of driven patch electrodes22, a different pair of patch electrodes22may be excited by the signal generator20and the voltage measurement process of the remaining patch electrodes22and the electrode assembly32takes place. The sequence may occur rapidly, e.g., on the order of one hundred times per second in an embodiment. To a first approximation the voltage on the electrode assembly32within the heart36bears a linear relationship with position between the patch electrodes22that establish the field within the heart36, as more fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,263,397 referred to above.

Some or all of the conventional twelve (12) ECG leads, coupled to additional body patches and designated collectively by reference numeral44, may be provided to support the acquisition of an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the patient. As shown, the ECG leads44may be coupled directly to the ECU12for acquisition and subsequent processing to obtain the phase of the heart in the cardiac cycle. Cardiac phase information may be used, in an embodiment, in mapping of electrical activity of the heart36, as described below.

In summary,FIG. 1shows an exemplary system10that employs seven body patch electrodes22, which may be used for injecting current and sensing resultant voltages. Current may be driven between two patches22at any time. Measurements may be performed between the non-driven patch22and, for example, the belly patch22B as a ground reference. A patch bio-impedance, also referred to as a “patch impedance”, may be computed according to the following equation:

where Vkis the voltage measured on patch k and In→mis a known constant current driven between patches n and m. The position of the electrode assembly32may be determined by driving current between different sets of patches and measuring one or more patch impedances. In one embodiment, time division multiplexing may be used to drive and measure all quantities of interest. Position determining procedures are described in more detail in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,263,397 and 7,885,707 referred to above. To perform an electrophysiology (e.g., mapping) procedure, the distal end portion26of the catheter24or multiple such catheters24may be manually guided to a desired location by a user such as a physician.

In addition to determining the positions of the electrode assembly32, the system10may also be configured to characterize and assess the tissue of the heart, including lesions. Accordingly, the ECU12may be further configured to perform one or more steps in one or more complimentary methods of determining a voltage distribution on a cardiac surface, such as determining the impedance between intra-tip electrodes facing the lesion and sensing the temperature at multiple locations facing the lesion on electrode assembly32. Because these methods employ entirely different signal types (electrical voltage and temperature) they provide a more sound answer as to lesion size by using two entirely independent lesion-assessment mechanisms. In the case of the temperature aspect, the use of temperature sensing over time can be used in response to an RF power change. The temporal temperature response can be fitted to a thermal model of the tissue in manners of thermal modeling both inside and outside catheter ablation. One embodiment employs the intra-tip impedance measurements and the complimentary and independent temporal temperature responses to RF power changes (which temporal responses are referred to as thermal calorimetry). Both pieces of information can be utilized such as by averaging them or weighing one somewhat more than the other in accordance with the user's confidence in each.

FIG. 3illustrates a schematic diagram of a medical apparatus incorporating an electrode assembly as described below. In the illustrated embodiment, the medical apparatus can comprise a catheter100. The catheter100can comprise a control handle102, and an elongated catheter body104having a distal region106with an electrode assembly108. The distal region106can comprise any of the catheter tips shown and described below. The catheter100can be connected to an ECU as described below.

In one embodiment, the electrode assembly discussed herein can comprise a multi-electrode RF ablator tip having dual-mode (the bipolar electrical impedance mode and the complimentary independent calorimetry mode embodiment discussed above) omnidirectional lesion feedback capability, mapping and orientation independent sensing capability and optionally shared interconnects. An electrode tip assembly as discussed herein can have these characteristics while still leaving physical room for a force feedback sensor. Lesion feedback can be assessed omnidirectionally, this means the catheter tip is able to be used to acquire information with any rotational orientation or regardless which tip surface is actually facing the cardiac tissue, using one or both complimentary feedback methods (both simultaneously, sequentially, or independently used) practiced from a multi-electrode tip with an electrically-insulative substrate. As a result, in some embodiments, no rotation of the electrode tip is required to ensure that the minimum needed tissue-facing electrodes (for lesion impedance feedback) and thermocouples (for lesion thermal or calorimetric feedback) are, by-default, always facing the tissue of interest.

To explain further, two different methods can be used together, either simultaneously or sequentially in a complimentary fashion, to provide more reliable lesion feedback than previous methods. The first method is in-tip cross-electrode (bipolar) or single electrode (unipolar) electrical impedance measurement(s). Bipolar measurements can be done using one or more in-tip subelectrode pairs, with the utilized bipolar-driven pair facing the lesion and showing the major known local impedance changes accompanying lesion formation. An RF body patch is not required for these lesion-local measurements and the real time local temperature can be taken into account as it has a known effect on impedance also. Unipolar measurements can be done using a 3-termial impedance measurement. These two methods can result in more specific ablation or pacing segment activation. The second complimentary and independent method is “calorimetry” which can comprise monitoring real time local surface-tissue lesion temperature in response to a known ablation energy input rate changes (input rate increases or decreases such as momentary turning on or off of power) injected into an assumed model-volume of tissue of known thermal properties adjacent the known electrodes. Another method to change (e.g. momentarily reduce) effective heat energy input is to change (e.g. momentarily reduce) the irrigant flow rate which essentially leaves more heat in the lesion tissue region.

In this second calorimetry method a simple thermal model of the tissue (temperature versus depth) is employed. Essentially widely known tissue thermal models can predict the buildup or relaxation of a temperature-vs depth profile as a function of time after a heat input at the tissue surface is started or stopped. Other than the input lesion energy and irrigant heat removal the other assumptions that can be made are that the initial tissue is at 37 Deg C (body temperature) and that the target tissue is blood-perfused (further cooled by perfusing blood). Thus, since we can detect the tissue surface temperature and we can predetermine at what time ablating heat (or irrigation) is turned on or off or step-changed in magnitude, we can observe the changing surface temperature upon such a heating change and deduce a lesion temperature depth profile and lesion tissue thermal conductivity versus depth during that observation period. There is a unique solution for the temperature and thermal conductivity profile for each observed surface temperature response to a heating change. Thus knowing the deduced temperature profile and thermal conductivity profile allows judgement of the lesion extent based purely on thermal considerations. For example lesioned tissue has markedly lower thermal conductivity than unlesioned tissue. For example the presence of a high temperature (e.g 60 deg C.) at a known depth allows an estimate of the time-to-necrosis to be estimated (less than a second to necrosis at 60 deg C.). Further discussion relating to thermal models can be found in Berjano, Enrique J., Theoretical modeling for radiofrequency ablation: state-of-the-art and challenges for the future, BioMedical Engineering OnLine 2006, 5:24, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.

In one embodiment, the tip can have a thermally and electrically-insulative substrate such as a ceramic substrate and a plurality of thin electrodes on an outside substrate surface such that the thermal response of the tissue results in the thin metal surface electrode portions, and any thermally connected thermal sensors, closely and rapidly follow the detectable tissue surface temperature. By placing thermal sensors around the tip such as under small isolated discs of such thin film electrodes, the thermal sensors can measure that tissue surface tissue temperature in real time because those thermal sensors have a thermally insulating base, i.e. a ceramic base, and virtually no depth-wise or lateral heat transfer. In ceramic tips of low thermal conductivity, the tip can have a significant irrigant flow (recirculating or passed into the bloodstream) to maintain tip surface temps below blood thrombosis temperatures. Alternatively or additionally the tips can ablate in a pulsed RF mode wherein time is allowed for the tip surfaces to cool between such repeated ablation power pulses.

In some embodiments, the thermal sensor (e.g thermocouple or thermistor) wires and the isolated disc sub-electrode wires can be cross-shared to perform one or more of the following: tissue temperature measurement, tissue impedance measurement, tissue electrical potential mapping or pacing, and electric-field spatial navigation or even ablation itself. Since these embodiments can optionally perform several functions with very few wires, thereby retain compatibility with tip-force sensor usage by limiting the required space for wired interconnections within the catheter body and catheter tip and reserving space for a tip-force sensor which has its own interconnections. The tip electrodes, as described above and below, can take on a range of configurations ranging from several large electrodes with small gaps to a single large electrode with smaller separate electrically isolated electrodes embedded in it. The actual ablation electrodes may or may not be shared or included in the feedback electrodes. In one embodiment, it is desired to have the feedback electrodes and the feedback thermal sensors provide lesion-specific feedback which means that the feedback electrodes and thermal sensors will be within the area-wise confines of the ablating electrode.

The tip electrodes described herein can lead to reduced manufacturing costs. The ceramic tips can be precisely green-molded and then fully fired to have fine features and surface finishes and even electrical and irrigant vias or ports to route interconnections and/or irrigant from the tip interior to the tip outer surfaces. The metallization of the electrode tips can be done in several different ways depending on the desired product and cost. In one embodiment, the ceramic tip substrates can comprise one of aluminum oxide (alumina) or zirconium oxide (zirconia) or zirconia toughened alumina. In one embodiment, all of the metallization processes can be batched and several hundred electrode tips can be co-deposited. The metallization techniques can include one or more of wet plating, PVD, and CVD vapor deposition methods for metals such as platinum or other exposed noble metals. The patterned electrodes can also be patterned additively or subtractively. A modified laser developed for machining stents can be used to pattern the narrow kerfs through a metallic ceramic overcoat to define such separated electrodes down to an underlying isolating ceramic base layer. An exemplary method such as sputtering may be used to deposit a well-adhering underlayer and then a second process such as electroplating may be used to thicken the electrode at a much lower processing cost. Subtractive etching or lasering might be done on the underlayer or on the dual layer sandwich. Screen printing or other mechanical printing methods for surface film conductors can be used if the needed electrode pattern resolution is loose enough. Inkjet printing of conductor films can likewise be used.

Vias or irrigant ports may be molded or drilled into the ceramic tips such that interconnections from the surface electrodes can be routed into the tip interior and irrigant may pass outwards from the tip. Those via interconnections might electrically and physically comprise plated vias or discrete wires routed through the vias. Presuming the vias are metallized or plated, at least near their outside tip-surface as by electroless plating, electroplating, CVD or sputtering for example, then the metallurgical joint between a discrete via wire and the via metallization can be hidden beneath the tip surface and covered over with a localized coating or plug of biocompatible epoxy or the like. The hidden metallization joint may comprise, for example, a soldered joint, laser welded joint or a silver-epoxy joint for example. In another embodiment, a via/port can deliver both irrigant and route an electrode or thermocouple interconnection to the tip surface.

An embodiment of a catheter assembly200is generally shown inFIG. 4. The catheter assembly200can comprise a tip electrode group201and a catheter shaft203. In the illustrated embodiment, the tip electrode group201can comprise a first segmented tip electrode205, a second segmented tip electrode207, a third segmented tip electrode209, a fourth segmented tip electrode211, a first spot electrode215, a second spot electrode217, a third spot electrode219, a fourth spot electrode (not shown), an irrigation through-hole221, a first exposed non-conductive segment227, a second exposed non-conductive segment229, a third exposed non-conductive segment231, and a fourth exposed non-conductive segment233. Each of the plurality of spot electrodes can be separated from other conductive portions of the tip electrode group201by a spot non-conductive portion239. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of spot electrodes215,217,219is generally circular in shape and the spot non-conductive portion that surrounds each of the plurality of spot electrodes is generally circular in shape. Each of the plurality of spot electrodes can further be coupled to a thermal sensor. The thermal sensor can comprise a thermistor, a thermocouple, or other thermal sensor as would be known to one of skill in the art. In one embodiment, the thermal sensor can be electrically and thermally coupled to the spot electrode. In another embodiment, the spot electrode can comprise a thermal sensor. In one embodiment, the spot non-conductive portion239is of equal diameter around each of the spot electrodes. The plurality of non-conductive segments can be of equal diameter around each of the spot electrodes. The non-conductive segments can comprise various methods of separating the electrodes via a process such as one or more of the above mentioned subtractive or additive processes. In some embodiments, the non-conductive segments can comprise electrode-layer gaps between adjacent electrodes. In one such embodiment, the gap between adjacent electrodes can comprise an exposed portion of an inner electrically-insulative ceramic substrate of the tip electrode. In another such embodiment, the gap can comprise an electrically and thermally insulative ceramic material. In another such embodiment, the gap can comprise an electrically or thermally insulative material. The catheter assembly200can comprise part of an irrigated or non-irrigated catheter system for examination, diagnosis, and/or treatment of internal body tissues (e.g. targeted tissue areas). In an exemplary embodiment, the catheter assembly200can comprise an ablation catheter (e.g. radio frequency (RF), cryoablation, ultrasound, etc.). The instant disclosure refers to RF ablation electrodes and electrode assemblies, but it is contemplated that the instant disclosure is equally applicable to any number of other ablation electrodes and electrode assemblies. The vias mentioned above can be routed to the spot electrodes215,217and/or to the larger electrodes205,207. InFIG. 4the vias are not visible as they are hidden by their overlying surface electrodes or by the above-mentioned via plug material. In any event such vias can be used to route surface connections to the tip interior through the tip wall thickness.

The tip electrode group201can comprise multiple segmented tip subelectrodes that can be configured to perform directed ablation toward selected tissue, and the spot electrodes can act not only as localized thermal sensors, but can also act as electrodes for locally sensing or pacing tissue, measuring local impedance such as between different spot electrodes. The spot electrodes can also further be configured to act as e-field navigation electrodes. The spot electrodes can further be used with the segmented tip electrodes of the tip electrode201for orientation independent sensing as described in the '160 reference, the '576 reference, and the '582 reference incorporated by reference above. In one embodiment, where a conductor pair coupled to the thermal sensor is electrically connected to a spot electrode, the shared functions as described herein can be used to decrease the total number of wires within the tip electrode. In another embodiment, the tip electrode can comprise five segmented tip electrodes around the tip circumference. The five segmented tip electrodes can be used such that an assumption can be made that at least two of the segmented tip electrodes and associated spot electrodes face tissue for a majority of their longitudinal length. In some embodiments, the larger electrodes surround smaller or spot electrodes as shown inFIG. 4. However, in other embodiments, the smaller or spot electrodes are not surrounded by larger electrodes. In further embodiments, an electrode overlaying the distal tip comprise can comprise one contiguous electrode. A common feature of the preferred embodiments herein is that vias can be employed through the ceramic tip material to route interconnections from the tip outer surface to an interior hollow core of the tip such that such interconnections may pass out of the tip proximally toward the catheter control handle as discrete wires or flex circuit traces. In some embodiments, the vias are metallurgically coupled to tip-interior discrete wires or flex circuit traces in a manner wherein any nonbiocompatable metallurgy or conductive epoxy employed to electrically join the vias and wires or traces is masked or hidden from blood exposure at the tip outer surface. In one embodiment, at least one of the vias can serve as an irrigation port and some irrigation ports disposed within the tip can have no electrical interconnection function.

In another embodiment, the spot non-conductive portions can be removed or filled such that an individual segmented tip electrode and the associated spot electrode can be thermally and electrically coupled. As a result, the thermal sensor and associated spot electrode cannot be used as a separate electrode from the segmented tip electrode, however, the thermal sensor can still be used for calorimetry purposes. Calorimetry is the monitoring of the temperature of a tissue mass during calibrated heat-input or heat-output such that a thermal property of the tissue mass can be deduced.

In simplest terms, as a tissue dehydrates and lesions develop, the tissue's thermal conductivity and specific heat drop significantly. As a result, a pulse of injected heat before such a lesion is made will result in a smaller depth-wise temperature gradient than after the lesion is present and cooled back to a starting temperature. Use of the disclosure can involve calorimetry measurement before, during, and after a lesion is formed when the calorimetry method is employed. Tissue impedance can be a function of tissue dehydration but also of tissue temperature. Thus measuring such temperature facing the lesion also results in a more accurate temperature-corrected lesion impedance reading. Given a pair of electrodes or spot electrodes which both face tissue, the bipolar impedance can be measured between such pairs of intra-tip electrodes. This impedance can be affected by the electrode spacing, which will determine the penetrating depth of fringe fields, and electrode size which is fixed and can be a design choice. The two techniques, bipolar impedance lesion feedback and calorimetry each depend on different lesion physical properties-i.e. electrical conductivity versus thermal conductivity/specific heat. The electrical impedance depends primarily on the electrical conductivity of the lesion and has a depth limit dictated by the shape of the electrical fringing fields whereas thermal calorimetry depends on the thermal conductivity and specific heat of tissue and has a deeper depth limit from which residual heat may leak toward the tissue surface. Thus, complimentary techniques can improve accuracy.

FIG. 5depicts an isometric view of another embodiment of a catheter assembly300. The catheter assembly300can comprise a tip electrode group301and a catheter body303. The catheter body can comprise a catheter shaft305and a ring electrode307. The ring electrode307can be coupled to a distal portion of the catheter shaft305. The tip electrode group301can comprise a distal electrode portion(s) or subelectrodes311and a proximal portion(s) or subelectrodes313. In the illustratedFIG. 5embodiment, the proximal portion313can comprise a mostly cylindrical single electrode shape, and the distal portion311can comprise a rounded dome. In the depicted case the distal dome electrode311portion(s) comprises five separate subelectrodes around the circumference. Thus the tip electrode or electrode group301can comprise a plurality of individual electrodes or electrode subgroups. The type and placement of the individual electrodes on the tip electrode can vary depending on the desired use of the tip electrode or other design reasons. In the illustratedFIG. 5embodiment, the tip electrode301can comprise a proximal tip ring electrode321, a plurality of distal segmented subelectrodes323, and a plurality of spot electrodes325,341. The tip ring electrode321in the illustrated embodiment is located on a proximal portion313of the tip electrode301. Each of the individual electrodes of the tip electrode301can be separated from other electrically conductive portions of the tip electrode and the ring electrode by a non-conductive portion or gap in the deposited electrode layer upon the electrically insulating ceramic substrate. In the illustratedFIG. 5embodiment, the tip ring electrode321can be bordered by a first circumferential non-conductive gap portion327at a proximal end of the tip ring electrode321and a second circumferential non-conductive gap portion329at a distal end of the tip ring electrode321. The gap portions327,329comprise exposed electrically insulating tip ceramic substrate material for example. Such gap portions may comprise lasered gaps in the electrode layer. In other embodiments one or both of the circumferential non-conductive portions can be removed from the catheter assembly.

A plurality of subelectrodes323can also be located on the catheter assembly300. Each of the subelectrodes323can be separated from the tip ring electrode and other subelectrodes by a non-conductive gap portion of the tip electrode301. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the segmented subelectrodes can extend longitudinally from the second circumferential non-conductive portion329to a distal end333of the tip electrode301. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the plurality of segmented subelectrodes323can be separated by a longitudinally extending non-conductive gap portion335.FIG. 5illustrates a tip electrode with6discrete longitudinally extending non-conductive gap portions delineating six separate segmented subelectrodes. Other embodiments of a tip electrode according to this disclosure can have varying numbers of longitudinally extending non-conductive portions and varying numbers of segmented electrodes. The tip electrode301can further comprise a plurality of spot electrodes325. In the illustrated embodiment ofFIG. 5, an individual spot electrode is disposed within each of the segmented tip subelectrodes and can be located on and equally spaced around the distal portion311of the tip electrode301. Each of the plurality of spot electrodes325can be surrounded by a spot non-conductive portion337. The spot non-conductive portion337can electrically isolate each of the spot electrodes from the rest of the tip electrode301. Note that both the spot electrodes and larger surrounding electrodes are both situated upon the electrically insulating tip substrate material. In other embodiments, the spot electrodes can be in other configurations. In one embodiment, each of the spot electrodes can be located on the proximal portion of the tip electrode301and can also be evenly spaced around an outer circumference of the tip electrode301. In another embodiment, each of the spot electrodes can be located adjacent the segmented tip electrodes. In other embodiments, each of the spot electrodes can be located within the longitudinal non-conductive portion of the tip electrode. In on embodiment, each of the spot electrodes can be located within the longitudinal non-conductive portion of the tip electrode and each of the spot electrodes can be further surrounded by a spot non-conductive portion.

The tip electrode can further comprise at least one ring spot electrode341. The at least one ring spot electrode341can be disposed within the tip ring electrode321. In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one ring spot electrode341can be disposed evenly between a proximal edge of the tip ring electrode and a distal edge of the tip ring electrode. The at least one ring spot electrode341can be surrounded by a ring spot non-conductive portion343. The ring spot non-conductive portion343can electrically isolate the ring spot electrode341from the tip ring electrode321and can also electrically isolate the ring spot electrode341from the rest of the electrodes on the tip electrode301. In other embodiments, the at least one ring spot electrode can comprise a first ring spot electrode and the electrode tip can comprise additional ring spot electrodes spaced apart from the first ring spot electrode. In one embodiment, the tip electrode can comprise a second ring spot electrode disposed around 180 degrees around a circumference of the tip ring electrode from the first ring spot electrode. In another embodiment, the tip electrode can comprise four separate ring spot electrodes evenly spaced at 90 degrees around a circumference of the ring electrode321. The tip electrode301can further comprise one or more irrigation through-holes345. The irrigation through-hole(s)345can be fluidly coupled to an irrigation source to supply an irrigant or other fluid to an exterior of the distal portion311of the electrode tip301. In other embodiments, the irrigation through-hole can comprise one of a plurality of irrigation through-holes. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the longitudinally extending non-conductive portions335can extend from the second circumferential non-conductive portion329to a non-conductive portion surrounding the irrigation through-hole345. This results in each of the segmented tip electrodes being bound on a proximal end by the second circumferential non-conductive portion329, on each side by a separate longitudinally extending non-conductive portion, and at a distal end by the irrigation through-hole345. In another embodiment, each of the segmented electrodes can abut the irrigation through-hole. In some embodiments, an irrigation via345including a metallized interior diameter metallized also is also configured to act as an electrical connection or via from the tip surface to the tip interior such as to both RF-power and irrigate a surface electrode.

FIG. 6illustrates an embodiment of a tip assembly400comprising a tip electrode group401and a conductor assembly403. The tip electrode group401can comprise a base portion407, a plurality of individual electrodes and a non-conductive portion surrounding each electrode. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of individual electrodes can comprise a first segmented tip electrode409, a second segmented tip electrode411, a third segmented tip electrode413, a fourth segmented tip electrode415, a fifth segmented tip electrode (not shown), a sixth segmented tip electrode (not shown), a first spot electrode419, a second spot electrode421, a third spot electrode423, a fourth spot electrode425, a fifth spot electrode (not shown), a sixth spot electrode (not shown), a tip ring electrode449, a first ring spot electrode429, and a second ring spot electrode (not shown). The tip electrode401can further comprise a proximal circumferential non-conductive portion431, a distal circumferential non-conductive portion433, a plurality of longitudinal non-conductive portions437, and a distal end non-conductive portion439. Each of the segmented tip electrodes can be separated from adjacent segmented tip electrodes by one of the plurality of longitudinal non-conduction portions437. Each of the segmented tip electrodes can extend longitudinally from the distal circumferential non-conductive portion433to the distal end non-conductive portion439. The distal end non-conductive portion439can be disposed on a distal end451of the tip electrode401. Each of the spot electrodes can be electrically and thermally isolated from the other electrodes on the tip electrode201by a spot non-conductive portion455. The base portion407can be sized and configured to fit within a catheter body to couple the tip assembly400to the catheter body. The base portion407can further comprise a tip anchor441. The tip anchor441can be used to further secure the tip assembly400to a catheter shaft. The conductor assembly403can comprise a plurality of individual conductors or conductor pairs. Each of the conductor pairs can be coupled to an individual thermocouple disposed within the tip electrode401. Each of the conductor pairs can electrically couple one or more electrodes to a connector or other device to allow for signals to be measured from the various electrodes of the tip electrode401or to deliver energy through the various electrodes to a target area or tissue. In one embodiment, the thermocouple leads (one or both) can be used as interconnection wires to also power the sensing or ablating electrodes. In some embodiments, the conductor pairs can also be coupled to a thermal sensor or form a thermal sensor or thermocouple in which case the wire pair may be thermocouple alloy wires such as a copper wire and a constantin wire. This can be an example of wire-sharing where two wires form a tip-surface thermocouple but can also power a surface electrode or detect electrical signals on a surface electrode. The thermal sensors (e.g. thermocouples or thermistors having two wires) can be disposed adjacent an outer tissue exposed surface of the tip electrode and can transfer temperature and other data to a proximal end of a conductor pair. The illustrated embodiment shows at least a first conductor pair443, a second conductor pair445, and a third conductor pair447. In one embodiment, a separate conductor pair is electrically connected to each of the discrete electrodes disposed on the tip electrode. In another embodiment, each of the conductor pairs can be electrically connected to one or more of the discrete electrodes disposed on the tip electrode. In another embodiment, such as that shown inFIG. 5, the conductor assembly can comprise a plurality of conductor pairs and an irrigation lumen. The irrigation lumen can be configured to be coupled to an irrigation source. It will be appreciated that with so many electrodes and thermal sensors such wire-sharing can be very beneficial.

FIG. 7illustrates an isometric, cross-sectional view, of an embodiment of a tip assembly500comprising a tip electrode group501and a conductor assembly503. The tip has a base portion507and can also comprise an electrically-insulative substrate505and which mates with a polymer lumen. The electrically-insulative substrate505,507can either be made of ceramic materials or polymers of various durometers. The electrically-insulative substrate can be an injection molded component. Injection molded describes molded with a polymer to a final shape or with a ceramic molded to a green shape which is then fired in a furnace. The electrically-insulative substrate can be formed in various configurations according to the desired use of the catheter. These configurations can include irrigation lumens, irrigation flow holes, sensor channels, and/or conductive channels (metallized electrical vias or holes for discrete wires) as well as structures for mechanical attachment, alignment, or stabilization. The conductive material can be selectively bonded to, deposited, or coated onto the electrically-insulative substrate by various techniques, including low temperature print manufacturing (with or without sintering), screen-printing, die-embossing, inkjet deposition, electroplating, electroless plating, sputter deposition, heat, mechanical deformation, cathodic arc deposition, diffusion bonding, evaporative deposition and pulsed laser deposition or combinations thereof.

The tip electrode group501can comprise and be formed within a thin layer of conductive material clad or deposited onto the electrically-insulative substrate505,507. The thin layer of conductive material deposited onto the electrically-insulative substrate can improve temperature correlation between the electrode and tissue interface because it is configured as a thin layer of heat and electrically conducting material, and itself has a low thermal capacity to modulate heat in the tissue itself. The thin metal layer on the electrically and thermally insulating substrate505,507can also therefore preserve important thermal gradients seen along the tissue surface. The thin layer of conductive material (one or more electrodes thereof) can be at-least temporarily if not permanently electrically connected to an ablation system to allow for the delivery of ablative energy or the like. The thin layer of conductive material can be electrically connected to the ablation system in any manner conventional in the art. For example, a conductor wire can be provided. The conductor wire can extend through a lumen within the catheter shaft. The patient may also utilize a ground-return patch in the case of a single wire fed monopolar RF tip. Groups of such electrodes may be employed to perform ablation and/or perform impedance feedback from lesions or to perform electrical sensing or pacing.

In some embodiments the electrically-insulative substrate can comprise a thermally insulative material. Alumina, zirconia toughened alumina and zirconia are all poor thermal conductors but have been proven in dental and medical implants. Silicon nitride is a better thermal conductor than the others but still electrically insulative and also proven in medical implants. Silicon nitride has the same order of thermal conductivity as platinum iridium which is a very poor metallic thermal conductor. For this reason silicon nitride can thermally act similarly to existing platinum-iridium tips and remove substantial heat from the tissue by having the tip irrigated.

In such embodiments the electrically-insulative substrate can provide an insulated internal flow path for ionically conductive saline or other irrigation fluid. The electrically-insulative substrate can thermally isolate the multiple thermal sensors located within the tip electrode203. By thermally isolating the temperature sensors, the tip electrode203can have an improved ability to measure the temperature at the tip-tissue interface during lesion formation. i.e. Using the thermally insulating substrate505the tip can accurately and more importantly rapidly detect the true tissue surface temperature without suppressing it to a large degree due to tip-induced tissue cooling. The listed ceramics above allow placement of temperature sensors on the tip surface.

The tip electrode group501ofFIG. 7can further comprise at least one segmented subelectrode511, a tip ring electrode513, a first via or wire channel515, a second via or wire channel517, a third via or wire channel519, a first spot electrode521, a second spot electrode (not shown), a third spot electrode523, a first spot non-conductive portion527, a second spot non-conductive portion (not shown), a third spot non-conductive portion529, and an inner tip surface531. While not shown, other electrodes can be present on the tip electrode501as described throughout the disclosure. The inner tip surface531can define an inner lumen533that extends from a proximal end of the tip electrode501to a more distal portion of the tip electrode501. The inner lumen533can be configured to allow for wires, irrigation lumens, or other desired components to be placed or routed through an inner portion of the tip electrode501. The first channel515, the second channel517, and the third channel519can extend from the inner tip surface531to an exterior tip surface. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the channels extends from an inner channel opening537to an outer surface opening539. Each of the channels (electrical interconnection vias or water irrigation ports or both) can comprise various sizes depending on the components designed to be placed within. In the illustrated embodiments, each of the channels can comprise a cylindrical hole within the electrically-insulative substrate505of the tip electrode501. In other embodiments, each of the channels can comprise other shapes and sizes as may be warranted by design considerations or ease of manufacturing. As seen in the illustrated embodiment, the inner channel opening is located proximally from the outer surface opening. This results in the outer surface opening539being located in a distal direction of the inner channel opening537. In other embodiments the inner channel opening and the outer surface opening of one or more of the channels can be located along the same portion of a longitudinal axis of the tip electrode. This placement of the channel can result in a roughly 90 degree angle between the channel and the inner lumen of the tip electrode. In yet other embodiments, the inner surface opening can be located in a distal position in relation to the outer surface opening. This results in the outer surface opening being located in a proximal direction of the inner channel opening. In other embodiments, a plurality of channels located within a tip electrode can comprise one or more of the embodiments listed above. In other embodiments, one or more of the channels can extend in a radial direction from an inner lumen or other interior portion of the tip electrode.

The illustrated embodiment inFIG. 7shows a first spot electrode521adjacent an outer surface of the tip electrode501. The first spot electrode521can comprise a thermal sensor. The first spot electrode521can be secured within the first channel515with the first spot non-conductive portion527. The first spot non-conductive portion527can be used to secure the first spot electrode521in a desired position in relation to the rest of the electrodes on the tip electrode501. Similarly, the third spot non-conductive portion529can be used to secure the third spot electrode523in a desired position in relation to the rest of the electrodes on the tip electrode501. The base portion507can also comprise at least one tip anchor543. The at least one tip anchor543can be used to further secure the tip assembly500to a catheter shaft. The conductor assembly503can comprise a first conductor pair545, a second conductor pair547, and a third conductor pair549. Each conductor pair can be electrically coupled to a spot electrode. In the illustrated embodiment, the first conductor pair545can be electrically coupled to the first spot electrode521, the second conductor pair547can be electrically coupled to the second spot electrode (not shown), and the third conductor pair549can be electrically coupled to the third spot electrode523. Each conductor pair can enter the tip electrode501through the inner lumen533and then travel through one of the channels in the tip electrode501. In one embodiment, the tip assembly can comprise a plurality of conductor pairs, with an individual conductor pair for each electrode on the tip electrode. It will be appreciated that the vias or channels may be completely metallized (as by interior wall coating or complete filling) in their interiors thus serving as conductive vias without discrete wires being placed therein. Alternatively they may be metallized therein only at the outer tip surface region during the deposition of the tip electrode conductive layer. Such partial channel or via metallization at the outer entry channel region allows for a wire to be soldered inside the channel near the tip surface-said wire being thus also connected to the adjacent surface electrode via the electrode layer metallization which also coats the tip surface in the form of defined electrodes.

FIG. 8illustrates an isometric cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a catheter assembly600. The catheter assembly can comprise a tip electrode601and a flexible catheter lumen body603. The catheter body603can comprise a catheter shaft605and a ring electrode607. The ring electrode607can be coupled to a distal portion of the catheter shaft605. The tip electrode601can comprise a base portion611and can also comprise an electrically-insulative substrate613. The tip electrode601can further comprise at least one segmented electrode615, a tip ring electrode617, a first spot electrode (not shown), a second spot electrode619, a ring spot electrode621, a first channel625, a second channel627, a third channel629, a fourth channel631, a proximal circumferential non-conductive portion635, a distal circumferential non-conductive portion637, a longitudinal non-conductive portion639, and an inner tip surface641. While not shown, other electrodes can be present on the tip electrode601as described throughout the disclosure. The inner tip surface641can define an inner lumen645that extends from a proximal end of the tip electrode601to a more distal portion of the tip electrode601. The inner lumen645can be configured to allow for wires, irrigation lumens, or other desired components to be placed or routed through an inner portion of the tip electrode601. The first channel625, the second channel627, the third channel629, and the fourth channel631can extend from the inner tip surface641to an exterior tip surface. In the illustrated embodiment, each of the channels extends from an inner channel opening645to an outer surface opening647. As seen in the illustrated embodiment, the channels (electrical vias, water ports or both) can be formed in various, different directions. The first channel625and the second channel627can extend in a distal direction from the inner tip surface641to the exterior tip surface. The third channel629can extend in a roughly 90 degree angle from the inner tip surface641. The fourth channel631can extend from a distal end of the inner lumen645to a distal end of the tip electrode. In one embodiment, the fourth channel631can be sized and configured to couple to an irrigation lumen. In another embodiment, the fourth channel can be configured to fluidly couple to an irrigation source and can deliver an irrigant or other fluid to an exterior portion of the electrode tip. The base portion611of the electrode tip601can be configured to fit within the distal end of the catheter shaft605. The base portion611can also comprise at least one tip anchor649. In one embodiment, an adhesive can be used to couple the base portion611and the catheter shaft605. In another embodiment, an adhesive can be used along with at least one anchor coupled to the at least one tip anchor649. The catheter assembly600can further comprise a first conductor pair651, a second conductor pair653, and a third conductor pair655. Each conductor pair can be electrically coupled to a thermocouple or spot electrode. For a spot electrode only one of the conductors can be used. For a thermocouple (or ablating electrode) both conductors can be used. For both a spot electrode and thermocouple in the same channel two conductors serve the thermocouple and at least one (or both) conductors serves the spot electrode. The necessary switching between the thermocouple function and electrode function can happen in the supporting system—conductor wires or metalized traces can be shared among functions. In the illustrated embodiment, the first conductor pair651can be electrically coupled to the first spot electrode (not shown), the second conductor pair653can be electrically coupled to the second spot electrode619, and the third conductor pair655can be electrically coupled to the ring spot electrode621. Each conductor pair can enter the tip electrode601through the inner lumen645and then travel through one of the channels in the tip electrode601. In one embodiment, the tip assembly can comprise a plurality of conductor pairs, with an individual conductor pair for each electrode on the tip electrode. The second spot electrode619can be secured within the second channel627with a second spot non-conductive portion659. The second spot non-conductive portion659can be used to secure the second spot electrode619in a desired position in relation to the rest of the electrodes on the tip electrode601. Similarly, the ring spot electrode621can be secured within the third channel629with a ring spot non-conductive portion661. The ring spot non-conductive portion661can be used to secure the ring spot electrode621in a desired position in relation to the rest of the electrodes on the tip electrode601.

FIG. 9illustrates an isometric, cutaway view of an embodiment of a catheter assembly700. The catheter assembly can comprise a tip electrode701, a conductor assembly705, and a catheter body703. The catheter body703can comprise a catheter shaft707and one or more ring electrodes709(one shown). The ring electrode(s)709can be coupled to a distal portion of the catheter shaft707. The conductor assembly705can comprise a plurality of conductor pairs713or individual conductors. As stated above, a thermocouple or thermistor can use a pair of such conductors (e.g. copper and constantin conductors) whereas a spot electrode or RF ablation electrode needs at least one wire—preferably a copper or other high conductivity metal conductor. The tip electrode701can be coupled to the catheter body703. The tip electrode701can comprise a proximal circumferential non-conductive portion717, a tip ring electrode719, an electrically-insulative substrate721, an inner tip surface723, an inner lumen725, and a first channel727. While not shown, other electrodes can be present on the tip electrode701as described throughout the disclosure. The inner tip surface723can define the inner lumen725that extends from a proximal end of the tip electrode to a more distal portion of the tip electrode. The channel727can extend from an inner channel opening729to an outer surface opening731and can extend from the inner tip surface723at a roughly 90 degree angle. A ring thermal sensor733can be secured within the third channel727with a ring sensor non-conductive portion735. Each channel72can optionally support both an irrigation function and a thermocouple or electrode function.

FIG. 10illustrates a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a tip electrode750. The tip electrode750can comprise an electrically-insulative substrate751, an ablation electrode753, a spot electrode755situated within the ablation electrode753yet isolated from it by an insulative circular gap761, a thermal sensor763, and a conductor pair765. The thermal sensor763is coupled to the conductor pair765and both can be electrically and thermally coupled to the spot electrode755. The conductor pair765can transfer signals from the spot electrode755(via the copper wire) and the thermal sensor763(via both the copper and constantin wires) to a proximal end of a device as described above. The conductor pair765can also transfer energy to the thermal sensor763or spot electrode755if it is also employed to ablate as well as sense. The spot electrode755can be separated from the electrode753by the electrically insulative gap761.

FIG. 11is a diagrammatic view of a system770that can be used for combining the independent impedance and calorimetry lesion feedback from the electrodes on a catheter to deduce a lesion state and/or a temperature depth-profile if both feedback methods described above are employed. The lesion state can comprise a volume of the lesion, a depth of the lesion, a surface area of the lesion, a circumference of the lesion, or other states known to one of ordinary skill in the art. A weighting and/or combining algorithm can be used to make these determinations. Separate algorithms can be employed for the impedance and calorimetry methods themselves. Weighting can also be simple averaging (equal weight).

Again for intra-lesion bipolar electrical impedance feedback one connects across any two electrodes which both face the lesion. These may be two spot electrodes or a spot electrode and a larger ablating electrode surrounding it for example.

For pace and ablate feedback the split tip implementations ofFIGS. 4, 5, and 6can be bipolar paced in a novel manner that can utilize an even number of distal pacing electrodes. A pair of stimulator channels can be set for simultaneous pacing at the same duration and current strength such that pacing anodes and cathodes alternate. When adjusted to the pacing threshold, only the pair of electrodes in contact with cardiac tissue can be responsible for achieving capture. The pacing pulse strength may be set to an appropriate margin over the pacing threshold and thus catheter orientation independent pacing information quickly obtained. Pacing immediately prior to, during, and after RF application provides feedback on lesion effectiveness in a manner that complements electrogram signal reduction, tissue impedance changes, and calorimetry. Pace and ablate strategies can be valuable aids in the identification of lesion gaps. The pace and ablate procedure can be further seen in Eitel, C., Hindricks, G., Sommer, P. et al., Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation and linear left atrial ablation as single catheter technique to achieve bidirectional conduction block: the “pace-and-ablate” approach. Heart Rhythm. 2010; 7: 157-164, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety as though fully set forth herein. In one embodiment, an electronic control unit can be configured to pace cardiac tissue by utilizing the segmented electrodes and spot electrodes disclosed herein.

Again, for calorimetry, we have thermocouples which face tissue and themselves sit on a thermally insulating tip material such as ceramic or polymer. We also have an adjacent or surrounding ablation electrode facing (and causing) the lesion. Using known RF thermal modeling techniques (earlier reference) we can make a depth-wise thermal profile model which incorporates decreasing thermal conductivity (and specific heat) of the tissue with extent of necrosis or lesioning. In this manner a bolus of injected heat (as by an RF power pulse), when stopped, will result in a thermal temperature decay at the tissue surface detectable by the surface contacting thermocouple(s). This decay curve is fitted to an assumed temperature and thermal conductivity profile that caused it. The initial starting assumption (before any lesion formation) is a decreasing temperature with depth and no thermal conductivity change (initially no necrosis has occurred). As the lesion progresses decreased thermal conductivity and specific heat is assumed (as caused by lesioning necrosis progressing downwards) such that the surface temperature decay curve is matched by the models current temperature and conductivity profile. Increasing degrees of tissue thermal exposure can result in increasing loss of thermal conductivity and specific heat as dewatering occurs. Full necrosis is the final state. Thus the changes are gradual which can allow for a feedback loop to automatically control ablation.

In another embodiment, the use of combined electrical impedance and calorimetry lesion-feedback tools can be configured to be acquired by impedance and calorimetry sensors that can be built upon an electrically and thermally insulating substrate. These two insulating qualities (electrical and thermal) can assure that the two feedback methods are sampling only the adjacent facing and underlying forming lesion. A number of possible calorimetric algorithms can be employed whether based on the incorporated references cited above, or using a new algorithm. This disclosure is not limited to a particular algorithm. Further, the two outputs, the electrical impedance, and the calorimetric information can have their corresponding presumed lesion depths be weighted in any desired manner such as 50/50 or equally wherein they are averaged.

It can be further noted that navigation magnetic coils (not shown) can easily be embedded or contained within the ceramic tip and that the navigation magnetic coil connecting wires can also perform shared duty as optionally might the thermal sensors.

In some embodiments, the system can comprise an ECU.FIG. 11depicts a very generalized schematic of an overall system for performing EP procedures while taking benefit of the disclosure herein. The tip electrodes depicted above can be mounted on a catheter shaft which can in turn be connected to a catheter control handle. A variety of power, data and fluid lines can connect the catheter to the system770. In the illustrated embodiment, the system770can comprise a computing module771(such as for impedance modeling, calorimetric modeling, heart chamber mapping and modeling), a spatial navigation module773, an organ modeling module775, an impedance assessment module777, a calorimetry assessment module779, a GUI module781, an irrigation control module783, an ablation module787, and a communication module785. In some embodiments the modules of the system770can be packaged together or share the same circuitry or software. In other embodiments, the modules of the system770can be separate. The computing module771can comprise the computational and logic means supporting the system770and can allow the system770to communicate to the outside world. Such computations and logic can be performed in software, firmware, or hardware. The spatial navigation module773can comprise the circuitry needed to create and sense navigation electric fields and/or magnetic fields. The spatial navigation module773can also comprise known magnetic or electromagnetic coils or body patches outside the spatial navigation module itself. The organ modeling module775can comprise software which can be employed to create a 3D/4D heart model. It may take navigation data, such as position and orientation, from the spatial navigation module773to do so. The impedance assessment module777can comprise circuitry and sensing such that the electrical impedance between desired pairs of catheter tip electrodes or sub-electrodes can be measured from within the single multi-electrode tip from electrodes touching the lesion and being at a known real time temperature. The calorimetry module779can comprise circuitry and sensing components such that select electrodes or sub-electrodes can be heated and or cooled (or irrigant flow can be step-changed) and resulting changing surface temperature detected in a manner that subsurface tissue heat flow can be deduced from at least one such reading and preferably from dual readings from tissue-facing adjacent electrodes. Dual adjacent readings can allow the module to better determine the rotational alignment of the tip to the lesion and a more accurate heat flow model can be made. In one embodiment, the employed electrodes face the tissue and their real time temperatures are known. The GUI module781can comprise circuitry to allow a user to communicate with and control the system770. In this manner the GUI module781can provide system controls, system outputs, heart models showing the overlaid catheter and lesioning-extent, EP waveforms, patient info, lesion maps, EP Mapping data, etc. The irrigation control module783can comprise circuitry comprising a pump, logic for turning an irrigation or saline pump on/off or for varying its flow rate in support of ablation and feedback methods. In one embodiment, the irrigation control module can further comprise an irrigation or saline pump. The ablation module787can comprise an existing standalone RF generator as well as a supporting irrigation pump. In other embodiments, the ablation module can comprise a modularized co-packaged RF generator. In yet other embodiments, other ablative energy sources are included in the scope such as laser, microwave, ultrasonic ablation, electroporation and cryo. The communication module785can comprise a data/signal/power bus that can allow the various modules to be powered, share the CPU, share navigation feedback, share temperature feedback, share power supplies, and share sensing circuitry. In some embodiments, the power supplies and sensing circuitry can be shared between only portions of the system and in other embodiments the power supplies and sensing circuitry can be shared between the entire system. In yet other embodiments, the power supplies and the sensing circuitry can be shared between none of the modules in the system.

FIG. 12Adepicts a flowchart for applying a method to utilize both impedance feedback and heat flow (calorimetry) feedback methods to determine a lesion state as described above. Step801comprises placing a catheter tip at a target tissue location at a desired lesion site. Step803comprises measuring a pre-lesion impedance of the target tissue location at a known cardiac starting temperature of about 37 deg C. Step805comprises measuring a pre-lesion heat-flow ability of the target tissue location at a known starting and peak temperatures wherein the peak temperature is below lesioning temperature, for example 40 or 41 deg C. Step807comprises incrementally ablating the target tissue location for a desired incremental time and at a desired power. Step809comprises measuring a post-lesion (post lesion increment) impedance of the target tissue location at a known starting achieved peak temperature. Step811comprises measuring a post-lesion heat-flow ability of the target tissue location at a known starting achieved peak surface temperature. Step813comprises obtaining a state of the lesion temperature profile and depth profile. The state of the lesion temperature profile and the depth profile can be determined by using the impedance and the heat flow values (scalar quantities) in to a tissue model. The states can be determined at the moment when power was temporarily discontinued. Step815comprises determining whether to further ablate the target tissue location. In one embodiment of step815the impedance feedback and the calorimetric feedback can be combined to determine whether further ablation of the target tissue location is desired.

FIG. 12Bdepicts a flowchart for applying a method to utilize an impedance feedback method to determine a lesion state as described above. Step821comprises placing a catheter tip at a target tissue location at a desired lesion site. Step823comprises measuring a pre-lesion impedance of the target tissue location at a known temperature. Step825comprises incrementally ablating the target tissue location for a desired time and at a desired power. Step827comprises measuring a post-lesion impedance of the target tissue location at a known temperature such as at the achieved peak temperature. Step829comprises obtaining a state of the lesion temperature profile and depth profile. The state of the lesion temperature profile and the depth profile can be determined by using the impedance and the heat flow values (scalar quantities) in to a tissue model. The states can be determined at the moment when power was temporarily discontinued. Step831comprises determining whether to further ablate the target tissue location.

FIG. 12Cdepicts a flowchart for applying a method to utilize a heat flow feedback method to determine a lesion state as described above. Step841comprises placing a catheter tip at a target tissue location at a desired lesion site. Step843comprises measuring a pre-lesion heat-flow ability of the target tissue location at a known temperature. Step845comprises incrementally ablating the target tissue location for a desired time and at a desired power. Step847comprises measuring a post-lesion heat-flow ability of the target tissue location at a known achieved peak starting temperature. Step849comprises obtaining a state of the lesion temperature profile and depth profile. The state of the lesion temperature profile and the depth profile can be determined by using the impedance and the heat flow values (scalar quantities) in to a tissue model. The states can be determined at the moment when power was temporarily discontinued. Step850comprises determining whether to further ablate the target tissue location.

FIG. 12Ddepicts a flowchart for applying a method to utilize a pacing capture feedback method to determine a lesion state as described above. Step851comprises placing a catheter tip at a target tissue location at a desired lesion site. Step853comprises adjusting pacing outputs to a predetermined margin over the pacing threshold which just maintains capture. Step855comprises incrementally ablating the target tissue location for a desired time and at a desired power. Step857comprises observing for post lesion pacing capture. Step859comprises determining whether to further ablate the target tissue location.

In other embodiments, any of the methods listed inFIGS. 12A-12Dcan be used, but ablation at the target tissue can be stopped at least once during ablation to assess lesioning progress. In other embodiments, any of the methods listed inFIGS. 12A-12Dcan be used, and OIS assessments of electrogram signals as discussed above can also be performed while the method is being performed. In other embodiments, where the spot electrodes as discussed above are present on the catheter, the spot electrodes can monitor impedance throughout the ablation or at certain sampling times before, during, or after ablation. This can occur separate from the electrodes that are ablating the target tissue. In one embodiment, calorimetry can also be performed. In other embodiments, irrigation can be provided adjacent the catheter tip. In one embodiment, the irrigant is flow-excluded from the tissue-facing tip surface, but can still maintain a desired max temperature around the tip. In another embodiment, the irrigant flow can be provided at a temperature or flow rate which can deliver a desired cooling, warming, or temperature stabilizing effect on at least a portion of the tip. This effect can be caused for purposes of controllably practicing one or both lesion feedback methods. In on embodiment, the catheter can comprise5or6major electrodes running from the distal tip partway up the tip. This multi-electrode distal tip region can be guaranteed to contain a good tissue, high-percentage contact region-particularly if a minimum tip force is maintained. In this embodiment, the major electrodes are not present all the way up the tip such that that none of the feedback electrodes have significant blood flow around them such as at the proximal tip region which may sit off the tissue surface. In some embodiments, that flow can significantly affect both feedback methods.