Catheter with liquid-cooled control handle

Abstract

An electrophysiologic catheter with an improved control handle is provided. The catheter includes a heat transfer assembly to better dissipate heat in the control handle. The heat transfer assembly includes a pump, a reservoir containing a coolant, a heat transfer member, and a coolant transport network transporting coolant between at least the reservoir and the heat transfer member. In one embodiment, the heat transfer member is located within the control handle as a heat exchanger on the circuit board to receive the coolant for transferring heat from the integrated circuits to the coolant. In another embodiment, the heat transfer member is located on the circuit board directly surrounding the integrated circuits to internally cool the integrated circuit within the control handle. A second heat transfer member is located outside of the control handle as a heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An irrigated catheter, comprising:
 a catheter body having proximal and distal ends;   a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body;   an irrigation tubing configured to deliver irrigation fluid to the distal end of the catheter body; and   a heat transfer assembly including:
 a pump, 
 a reservoir containing a coolant, 
 one or more heat transfer members, and 
 a closed coolant transport network providing coolant communication from the reservoir to the one or more heat transfer members and from the one or more heat transfer members back to the reservoir. 
   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising an irrigated distal tip electrode at the distal end of the catheter body, the irrigated distal tip electrode being in fluid communication with the irrigation tubing. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the reservoir and a second end connected to one of the one or more heat transfer members; and   a distal fluid conduit having a first end connected to one of the one or more heat transfer members and a second end connected to the reservoir.   
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more heat transfer members comprises at least one heat transfer member in the control handle. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat transfer member inside the control handle comprises at least one IC heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat transfer member inside the control handle comprises at least one cover heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one heat transfer member inside the control handle comprises at least one IC heat transfer unit, and at least one cover heat transfer unit. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein each of the at least on IC heat transfer unit and the at least one cover heat transfer unit comprises an inlet and an outlet, and the inlet is positioned lower on the respective IC heat transfer unit or cover heat transfer unit than the outlet. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the reservoir and a second end connected to the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle; and   a distal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle and a second end connected to the reservoir.   
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more heat transfer members further comprises a heat exchanger outside the control handle. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the reservoir and the heat exchanger outside the control handle and to provide fluid communication between the heat exchanger outside the control handle and the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle; and   a distal fluid conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle and the reservoir.   
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer assembly further comprises a pump. 
     
     
         13 . An irrigated catheter, comprising:
 a catheter body having proximal and distal ends;   a control handle at the proximal end of the catheter body;   an irrigation tubing configured to deliver irrigation fluid to the distal end of the catheter body; and   a heat transfer assembly including:
 a pump, 
 a reservoir containing a coolant, 
 a cooling unit configured to cool the coolant, 
 one or more heat transfer members, and 
 a closed coolant transport network providing coolant communication from the reservoir or cooling unit to the one or more heat transfer members, and providing fluid communication from the reservoir or cooling unit back to the one or more heat transfer members. 
   
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 13 , further comprising an irrigated distal tip electrode at the distal end of the catheter body, the irrigated distal tip electrode being in fluid communication with the irrigation tubing. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the reservoir or cooling unit and a second end connected to one of the one or more heat transfer members; and   a distal fluid conduit having a first end connected to one of the one or more heat transfer members and a second end connected to the reservoir or cooling unit.   
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more heat transfer members comprises at least one heat transfer member in the control handle. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the reservoir or cooling unit and a second end connected to the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle; and   a distal fluid conduit having a first end connected to the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle and a second end connected to the reservoir or cooling unit.   
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more heat transfer members further comprises a heat exchanger outside the control handle. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 18 , wherein the closed coolant transport network comprises:
 a proximal fluid conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the reservoir or cooling unit and the heat exchanger outside the control handle and to provide fluid communication between the heat exchanger outside the control handle and the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle; and   a distal fluid conduit configured to provide fluid communication between the at least one heat transfer member in the control handle and the reservoir or cooling unit.   
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 13 , wherein the heat transfer assembly further comprises a pump.