Electroporation systems and catheters for electroporation systems

Abstract

The present disclosure provides electroporation systems, methods of controlling electroporation systems to limit electroporation arcs through intracardiac catheters, and catheters for electroporation systems. One method of controlling an electroporation system including a direct current (DC) energy source, a return electrode connected to the DC energy source, and a catheter connected to the DC energy source is disclosed. The catheter has a at least one catheter electrode. The method includes positioning the return electrode near a target location within a body and positioning the catheter electrode adjacent the target location within the body. A system impedance is determined with the return electrode positioned near the target location and the catheter electrode positioned within the body. The system impedance is adjusted to a target impedance to limit arcing from the catheter electrode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter comprising:
 a handle including an insulated electrical connector at a proximal end of the handle configured for connection to an electroporation generator, the handle defining an interior channel;   a shaft coupled to and extending from a distal end of the handle, the shaft defining an interior channel;   a distal loop subassembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the distal loop subassembly comprising a loop having a plurality of catheter electrodes disposed thereon; and   a plurality of electrode wires, each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires coupled to a different catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes and extending from the distal loop assembly to the connector, through the interior channels of the shaft and the handle, wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is surrounded by an insulator with a thickness of at least about 1.5 thousandths of an inch.   
     
     
         2 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the insulated electrical connector comprises a waterproof electrical connector. 
     
     
         3 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is sized to carry an electrical current of at least ten amps at a voltage of at least one thousand volts. 
     
     
         4 . The catheter of  claim 1 , wherein the loop of the distal loop subassembly comprises a variable diameter loop. 
     
     
         5 . The catheter of  claim 4 , wherein the variable diameter loop has an open loop diameter of twenty-seven millimeters and a closed loop diameter of approximately fifteen millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein each catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes is a ring electrode having a length of 2.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         7 . The catheter of  claim 5 , wherein each catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes is a ring electrode having a length of 2.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         8 . A catheter comprising:
 a handle including an insulated electrical connector at a proximal end of the handle configured for connection to an electroporation generator, the handle defining an interior channel;   a shaft coupled to and extending from a distal end of the handle, the shaft defining an interior channel;   a subassembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the subassembly having a plurality of catheter electrodes disposed thereon; and   a plurality of electrode wires, each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires coupled to a different catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes and extending from the subassembly to the connector, through the interior channels of the shaft and the handle, wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is surrounded by an insulator with a thickness of at least about 1.5 thousandths of an inch.   
     
     
         9 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein the insulated electrical connector comprises a waterproof electrical connector. 
     
     
         10 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is sized to carry an electrical current of at least ten amps at a voltage of at least one thousand volts. 
     
     
         11 . The catheter of  claim 8 , wherein the subassembly comprises a distal loop subassembly comprising variable diameter loop. 
     
     
         12 . The catheter of  claim 11 , wherein the variable diameter loop has an open loop diameter of twenty-seven millimeters and a closed loop diameter of approximately fifteen millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein each catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes is a ring electrode having a length of 2.5 millimeters. 
     
     
         14 . The catheter of  claim 12 , wherein each catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes is a ring electrode having a length of 2.0 millimeters. 
     
     
         15 . An electroporation system comprising:
 an electroporation generator; and   a catheter connected to the electroporation generator, the catheter comprising:
 a handle including an insulated electrical connector at a proximal end of the handle, the handle defining an interior channel; 
 a shaft coupled to and extending from a distal end of the handle, the shaft defining an interior channel; 
 a subassembly coupled to a distal end of the shaft, the subassembly having a plurality of catheter electrodes disposed thereon; and 
 a plurality of electrode wires, each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires coupled to a different catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes and extending from the subassembly to the connector, through the interior channels of the shaft and the handle, wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is surrounded by an insulator with a thickness of at least about 1.5 thousandths of an inch. 
   
     
     
         16 . The electroporation system of  claim 15 , wherein the insulated electrical connector comprises a waterproof electrical connector. 
     
     
         17 . The electroporation system of  claim 15 , wherein each electrode wire of the plurality of electrode wires is sized to carry an electrical current of at least ten amps at a voltage of at least one thousand volts. 
     
     
         18 . The electroporation system of  claim 15 , wherein the subassembly comprises a distal loop subassembly comprising variable diameter loop. 
     
     
         19 . The electroporation system of  claim 18 , wherein the variable diameter loop has an open loop diameter of twenty-seven millimeters and a closed loop diameter of approximately fifteen millimeters. 
     
     
         20 . The electroporation system of  claim 19 , wherein each catheter electrode of the plurality of catheter electrodes is a ring electrode having a length of 2.5 millimeters.