Magnetically guided catheter with concentric needle port

Abstract

A catheter for ablation, mapping, injection, and directional control by an external magnetic system has a catheter body, an intermediate section, and a tip section having a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal end and a concentric needle port. The tip electrode houses a magnetic device and a position sensor in an integrated configuration that facilitates a path in the tip section for extension and retraction of a component, including an injection needle, with reduced stress and friction. The integrated configuration is an efficient use of space in the tip electrode that allows the tip section to carry both the position sensor and the necessary volume of magnetic or magnetizable material to accomplish magnetic navigation. The catheter also includes a very soft and flexible intermediate section and an even softer and more flexible distal transitional section carrying additional magnetic members to facilitate remote magnetic navigation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter comprising:
 a catheter body;   an intermediate section distal of the catheter body;   a tip section distal of the intermediate section, the tip section comprising:
 a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal tip having an atraumatic domed outer surface, the tip electrode further comprising a concentric needle port; and 
 a first magnetic device and a position sensor, with at least portions of each of the first magnetic device and the position sensor being in a surrounding relationship with each other of the first magnetic device and the position sensor in the tip section; 
   a needle extending through the catheter body, the intermediate section and the tip section; and   a needle control handle configured to extend and retract the injection needle through the concentric needle port.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the first magnetic device includes a hollow member in which the position sensor is positioned. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the position sensor includes a hollow member in which the first magnetic device is positioned. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the position sensor and the first magnetic device have an integrated configuration configured with a path for at least one component to pass between the tip electrode and the intermediate section. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the path is generally linear. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the path is nonlinear. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein the path is in communication with and generally aligned with the concentric needle port. 
     
     
         8 . The catheter of  claim 1 , further comprising a transition section between the intermediate section and the tip section, the transition section comprising one or more tubing sections, and one or more second magnetic devices positioned between the one or more tubing sections of the transition section. 
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein each of the one or more second magnetic devices is generally cylindrical with an inner passage through which a component can extend. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the position sensor is spaced from a distal end of the tip electrode by a predetermined distance. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 10 , further comprising a magnetic spacer positioned in a distal end of the first magnetic device, the magnetic spacer having a predetermined length such that its distal end is flush with the distal end of the first magnetic device and its proximal end acts as a stop against which the distal end of the position sensor abuts. 
     
     
         12 . A catheter comprising:
 a catheter body;   an intermediate section distal of the catheter body;   a tip section distal of the intermediate section, the tip section comprising:
 a tip electrode with an omnidirectional distal end and a concentric needle port; and 
 a modular magnetic device and a position sensor, the modular magnetic device comprising a distal magnetic member, a mid magnetic member, and a proximal magnetic member, at least a portion of at least one of the distal magnetic member, the mid magnetic member and the proximal magnetic member being in a surrounding relationship with the position sensor; 
   a transition section between the intermediate section and the tip section and having one or more additional magnetic devices;   a needle extending through the catheter body, the intermediate section and the tip section; and   a needle control handle configured to extend and retract the needle through the concentric needle port.   
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the mid magnetic member of the modular magnetic device includes a hollow portion and the position sensor is positioned at least partially within the hollow portion of the mid magnetic member of the modular magnetic device. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein each of the mid magnetic member, the distal magnetic member and the proximal magnetic member have a generally cylindrical configuration, and when assembled, the distal magnetic member, the mid magnetic member and the proximal magnetic member define a path between the tip electrode and the intermediate section through which at least one component can pass and circumvent the position sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The catheter of  claim 14 , wherein the path is in communication with the concentric needle port. 
     
     
         16 . The catheter of  claim 14 , wherein the distal magnetic member comprises an inclined channel that is longitudinally aligned with an outer channel on the mid magnetic member, and the proximal magnetic member comprises an inner passage. 
     
     
         17 . The catheter of  claim 16 , wherein the path includes the concentric needle port, the inclined channel of the distal magnetic member, and the outer channel of the mid magnetic member. 
     
     
         18 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the distal magnetic member comprises a proximal portion, a neck portion, and a notched portion such that both the proximal portion and the neck portion have crescent-shaped cross sections. 
     
     
         19 . The catheter of  claim 18 , wherein the distal magnetic member further comprises an inclined channel with proximal and distal ends, the distal end of the inclined channel being deeper than the notched portion, and the proximal end of the inclined channel being generally even with the notched portion. 
     
     
         20 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein the distal magnetic member has a first predetermined length, and the tip electrode has a second predetermined length, and the first and second predetermined lengths are configured to position the position sensor a predetermined distance from a distal end of the tip electrode.