Cardiac catheter employing conformal electronics for mapping

Abstract

An apparatus for medical diagnosis and/or treatment is provided. The apparatus includes a flexible substrate, an intermediate bus disposed on the flexible substrate, and a plurality of sensing elements disposed on the flexible substrate and coupled to the intermediate bus. The plurality of sensing elements and intermediate bus are disposed on the flexible substrate such that the sensing elements are disposed at areas of minimal strain of the flexible substrate.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method of performing a medical diagnosis and/or treatment on a tissue, the method comprising:
 disposing in proximity to the tissue an apparatus comprising:   a flexible substrate forming an inflatable body;   at least one intermediate bus, wherein a portion of the at least one intermediate bus is disposed at a distal region of the inflatable body; and a plurality of sensing elements disposed on the flexible substrate proximate to the distal region of the inflatable body,   wherein at least one sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements is coupled to the at least one intermediate bus; and   recording a measurement of at least one sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements, wherein the measurement provides an indication of a state of a portion of the tissue.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the measurement provides an indication of a disease state of the portion of the tissue. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the measurement provides an indication of a contact state of the portion of the tissue with the at least one sensing element of the plurality of sensing elements. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the plurality of sensing elements are disposed in an array at areas of minimal curvature of the inflatable body proximate to the distal region of the inflatable body. 
     
     
         48 - 88 . (canceled) 
     
     
         89 . A method for readout of one or more multiplexed signals, the method comprising:
 disposing an apparatus proximate to a surface, the apparatus comprising:   a plurality of active electrical circuits disposed in a distributed arrangement on a flexible substrate forming an inflatable body, the plurality of active electrical circuits configured to transmit one or more multiplexed signals to at least one signal processor, wherein at least one active electrical circuit of the plurality of active electrical circuits comprises:   an electrode;   a source-follower amplifier coupled to the electrode; and   a pass-through switch coupled to the source-follower amplifier, a row control switch and a column output, wherein a voltage applied to the row control switch activates the pass-through switch such that a signal from the electrode is transmitted to the column output;   applying a voltage to the row control switch; and   reading an output at the column output thereby providing the one or more multiplexed signals.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the plurality of active electrical circuits is are disposed proximate to the electrode in the distributed arrangement. 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein each active electrical circuit of the plurality of active electrical circuits is coupled to at least one adjacent active electrical circuit of the plurality of active electrical circuits via at least one conductive flexible interconnection. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising transmitting the one or more multiplexed signals from the plurality of active electrical circuits to the at least one signal processor via the at least one conductive flexible interconnection. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one conductive intermediate bus, wherein the at least one active electrical circuit of the plurality of active electrical is coupled to the at least one conductive intermediate bus. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 93 , further comprising transmitting the one or more multiplexed signals from the plurality of active electrical circuits to the at least one signal processor via the at least one conductive intermediate bus. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the electrode is coupled to a gate of the source-follower amplifier. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 95 , wherein a source of the at least one source-follower amplifier is coupled to a drain of the at least one pass-through switch, wherein a gate of the pass-through switch is coupled to the row control switch, and wherein a source of the pass-through switch is coupled to the column output. 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the drain of the source-follower amplifier is biased to a ground potential. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 89 , wherein the at least one active electrical circuits comprises two active electrical circuits, wherein each of the two active electrical circuits is coupled to a respective row control switch, wherein the two active electrical circuits are coupled to a common column output, and wherein the voltage is applied to one of the row control switches during the reading of the output from the common column output. 
     
     
         99 - 133 . (canceled)