Electrophysiology therapy catheter

Abstract

A mapping catheter is positioned in a heart chamber, and active electrode sites are activated to impose an electric field within the chamber. The blood volume and wall motion modulates the electric field, which is detected by passive electrode sites on the preferred catheter. Electrophysiology measurements, as well as geometry measurements, are taken from the passive electrodes and used to display a map of intrinsic heart activity.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
   
   
       4 . A catheter assembly for mapping the electrical activity of a heart chamber, comprising:
 a lead body having a proximal end and a distal end for insertion into the heart chamber; and   a deployable array of electrodes located at the distal end of the lead body, wherein the deployable array includes a plurality of limbs, each limb carrying one or more electrodes adapted to measure voltage on a surface of the heart chamber.   
   
   
       5 . The catheter assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the deployable array further includes at least one active electrode. 
   
   
       6 . The catheter assembly of  claim 4 , wherein each limb carries two electrodes. 
   
   
       7 . The catheter assembly of  claim 6 , wherein at least one electrode on each limb is a ring electrode. 
   
   
       8 . The catheter assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a handle coupled to the proximal end of the lead body, wherein the handle is configured to manipulate the position of the deployable array of electrodes.   
   
   
       9 . The catheter assembly of  claim 4  wherein at least one electrode is a passive electrode. 
   
   
       10 . The catheter assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each passive electrode is configured to sense electrophysiological data. 
   
   
       11 . The catheter assembly of  claim 10 , wherein each passive electrode is configured to sense an impedance. 
   
   
       12 . The catheter assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the each of the plurality of limbs is connected to the distal end of the lead body at a proximal end of the limb. 
   
   
       13 . The catheter assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the limbs in the plurality of limbs are connected at a distal end of the plurality of limbs. 
   
   
       14 . A method for mapping electrical activity in a heart chamber, comprising:
 inserting a catheter having a plurality of limbs into the heart chamber;   deploying the limbs of the catheter to place a plurality of passive electrodes onto a surface of the heart chamber;   determining the position of the plurality of electrodes;   measuring electrical activity on the surface of the heart chamber using the plurality of electrodes; and   creating a electrophysiologic map of the measured electrical activity.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the deploying step further comprises deploying an active electrode into the heart chamber. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the deploying step further comprises deploying the limbs of the catheter to place a plurality of passive electrodes at precisely spaced intervals onto the surface of the heart chamber. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the measuring step further comprises receiving electrophysiological data from the surface of the heart chamber. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the measuring step further comprises measuring an impedance at the surface of the heart chamber. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the deploying step further comprises deploying the limbs of the catheter such that the limbs are connected at a proximal end of the plurality of limbs. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the deploying step further comprises deploying the limbs of the catheter such that the limbs are connected at a distal end of the plurality of limbs. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the creating step further comprises creating a three-dimensional dynamic electrophysiologic map of the measured electrical activity.