Expandable catheter assembly with flexible printed circuit board (pcb) electrical pathways

Abstract

Provided is a flex-PCB catheter device that is configured to be inserted into a body lumen. The flex-PCB catheter comprises an elongate shaft, an expandable assembly, a flexible printed circuit board (flex-PCB) substrate, a plurality of electronic components and a plurality of communication paths. The elongate shaft comprises a proximal end and a distal end. The expandable assembly is configured to transition from a radially compact state to a radially expanded state. The plurality of electronic elements are coupled to the flex-PCB substrate and are configured to receive and/or transmit an electric signal. The plurality of communication paths are positioned on and/or within the flex-PCB substrate. The communication paths selectively couple the plurality of electronic elements to a plurality of electrical contacts configured to electrically connect to an electronic module configured to process the electrical signal. The flex-PCB substrate can have multiple layers, including one or more metallic layers. Acoustic matching elements and conductive traces can be includes in the flex-PCB substrate.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A device that is configured to be inserted into a body lumen, comprising:
 an elongate shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal portion;   an expandable assembly positioned on the distal portion of the elongate shaft and configured to transition from a radially compact state to a radially expanded state, wherein the expandable assembly comprises a plurality of splines;   a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of ultrasound transducers positioned on the plurality of splines and configured to at least on of receive or transmit electrical signals, wherein each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers comprise a first terminal and a second terminal; and   a plurality of communication paths selectively coupling the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of ultrasound transducers to an electronic module configured to process the electrical signals, wherein the plurality of communications paths comprises a first set of conductors and a second set of conductors,   wherein the electrodes of the first set of electrodes and the first terminals of the plurality of ultrasound transducers are coupled to the conductors of the first set of conductors, and   the second terminals of the plurality of ultrasound transducers are coupled to the conductors of the second set of conductors.   
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein each conductor of the first set of conductors is coupled to an electrode of the plurality of electrodes, and the first terminal of an ultrasound transducer of the plurality of ultrasound transducers. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , where each conductor of the second set of conductors is coupled to the second terminal of two or more of the plurality of ultrasound transducers. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 4 , wherein each of the two or more ultrasound transducers are individually addressable by the electronic module. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 2 , further comprising a flexible printed circuit board substrate, wherein the flexible printed circuit board substrate is coupled to the splines of the expandable assembly, wherein the plurality of electrodes and the plurality of ultrasound transducers are coupled to the flexible printed circuit board substrate, and at least a portion of the plurality of communication paths are positioned at least one of on or within the flexible printed circuit board substrate. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of ultrasound transducers comprises as matching layer. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , wherein the matching layer comprises at least a portion of the flexible printed circuit board substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the flexible printed circuit board substrate comprises materials selected from a group comprising: polyimide; polyester; nylon;
 Pebax; liquid crystal polymer; and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the device comprises a dipole mapping device. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprises at least  8  electrodes, and the plurality of ultrasound transducers comprises at least  8  transducers. 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of splines comprises at least two splines with at least two ultrasound transducers positioned on each of the at least two splines. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least two ultrasound transducers mounted to a first spline are linearly staggered from the at last two ultrasound transducers mounted to a second spline, such that a protrusion of an ultrasound transducer on the first spline extends between protrusions of the at least two ultrasound transducers on the second spline. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 2 , further comprising one or more coaxial cables each comprising an inner conductor and a shield, wherein at least one of the first set of conductors comprises the inner conductor of one of the one or more coaxial cables, and at least on of the second set of conductors comprises the shield of one of the one or more coaxial cables. 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 14 , wherein the one or more coaxial cables comprise at least two coaxial cables, and wherein the shields of the two or more coaxial cables are electrically connected.