User interface for tissue ablation system

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for the ablation of tissue. Embodiments include an ablation catheter that has an array of ablation elements attached to a deployable carrier assembly. The carrier assembly can be constrained within the lumen of a catheter, and deployed to take on an expanded condition. The carrier assembly includes multiple electrodes that are configured to ablate tissue at low power. Systems include an interface unit with a visual display that provides a visual representation of the geometry of the ablation elements and/or provides selection means for selecting an icon provided on the display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ablation system, the ablation system comprising:
 an ablation catheter including a plurality of electrodes; and   an interface unit in communication with the ablation catheter, the interface including a visual display, the visual display showing a geometric configuration of the plurality electrodes and at least one information icon proximate each of the plurality of electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one information icon is selected from the group consisting of: electrical signal from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, current quantitative representation of a system parameter, a system parameter target value, selected energy mode, temperature, rate of temperature change, energy transmission status of at least one of the plurality of electrodes, energy delivery value, distance, force, pressure, location, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the visual display is a first visual display, the interface unit further including a second visual display. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the geometric configuration of the plurality of electrodes is a first geometric configuration of the plurality of electrodes, the second visual display showing a second geometric configuration of the plurality of electrodes and at least one information icon proximate each of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one information icon is selected from the group consisting of: electrical signal from at least one of the plurality of electrodes, current quantitative representation of a system parameter, a system parameter target value, selected energy mode, temperature, rate of temperature change, energy transmission status of at least one of the plurality of electrodes, energy delivery value, distance, force, pressure, location, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system parameter is selected from the group consisting of:
 an energy delivery parameter selected from the group consisting of: current, voltage, frequency, power, monopolar mode or bipolar mode, duration, impedance, and type of energy to be delivered;   a sensor parameter selected from the group consisting of: tissue contact measurement value, temperature, pressure, strain, impedance, ECG or EKG, cardiac flow rate, tissue thickness, and tissue location   an alarm parameter;   a physical catheter parameter; and   a threshold value for a system parameter.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the ablation catheter further includes:
 a plurality of flexible ablation elements, at least one of the plurality of electrodes located on each of the plurality of ablation elements;   a flexible, tubular body member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending therebetween; and   a control shaft receivable within the lumen of the tubular body member, the control shaft being configured to retract at least one of the plurality of ablation elements within the lumen of the tubular body member and being configured to extend at least one of the plurality of ablation elements beyond the distal end of the tubular body member.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the ablation catheter further includes at least one sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor is located on at least one of the plurality of ablation elements. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a geometric configuration of the at least one sensor is shown on at least one of the first visual display and the second visual display. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the visual display indicates a system parameter, the interface unit being configured to change a value of a system parameter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the visual display indicates changes in the value of a system parameter. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first visual display and the second visual display show a visual representation of at least a portion of a patient's anatomy. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured to read at least one of ECG and EKG information, and configured to transmit energy to tissue in a monopolar mode, a bipolar mode, and a combination monopolar-bipolar mode. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the plurality of electrodes defines a triangular cross section. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the system further comprises an audio transducer in communication with the interface unit, the audio transducer being configured to indicate an event selected from the group consisting of a change in a system parameter and the system parameter exceeding a threshold value. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is programmable to modifying the operation of at least one of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is programmable to selectively deliver energy to one or more of the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         19 . An ablation system, the system comprising:
 an ablation catheter including a plurality of carrier arms, each carrier arm including at least one electrode;   an interface unit in communication with the ablation catheter, the interface including a first visual display and a second visual display, each of the first and second visual displays showing a geometric configuration of the plurality electrodes and at least one information icon proximate each of the plurality of electrodes.   
     
     
         20 . A method for selecting electrodes for energy delivery, the method comprising:
 displaying a visual display of an interface unit configured to accept a manual selection of one or more carrier arms of an ablation catheter for energy delivery;   automatically selecting one or more electrodes in communication with the selected one or more carrier arms;   displaying on the visual display an option for the manual confirmation of the automatically selected one or more carrier arms; and   automatically determining ablation parameters and automatically activating the one or more electrodes when the automatic selection of one or more electrodes is manually confirmed.