System and Method for Using Tissue Contact Information in an Automated Mapping of Cardiac Chambers Employing Magnetically Shaped Fields

System and Method for Using Tissue Contact Information in an Automated Mapping of Cardiac Chambers Employing Magnetically Shaped Fields

Patent Number: US 2010/0305429 Al

Date Filed: December 2, 2010

Country Filed In: USA

Product Application: CGCI

The invention relates to a method for using tissue contact technology to optimize automated cardiac chamber mapping algorithms to both speed up the mapping process and guar­antee the definition of the actual chamber limits. The inven­tion further comprises a method for conveying tissue type information to such automatic mapping algorithms so as to allow them to adapt their point collection density within areas of particular interest. The method is enhanced by the use of a magnetic chamber that employs electromagnetic coils con­figured as a waveguide that radiate magnetic fields by shaping the necessary flux density axis on and around the catheter distal tip so as to push, pull and rotate the tip on demand and as defined by such automatic mapping algorithms.

Field of Use: The Catheter Guidance Control and Imaging (CGCI) system was created to provide physicians the ability to guide a catheter through a patient's body using a robotically-controlled magnetic guidance system. Such a system provides the physician unprecedented accuracy in being able to navigate within the dynamic environment of the patient, create a detailed 3-D mapping, and perform a variety of catheter-based operations with precision control and an ability to return to target at the push of a button. Initial applications for the technology were for the field of Electrophysiology and specifically for the ablation of the heart to treat patients with AFib.