Intracardiac tools and methods for delivery of electroporation therapies

Abstract

A medical device comprising an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, and a radius, a plurality of deployable arms, the deployable arms being movably coupled to the elongate body, and at least one arm from the plurality of deployable arms having at least one electrically conductive surface. The plurality of deployable arms being movable from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration. In the collapsed configuration, the plurality of deployable arms are approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis. In the expanded configuration, the at least one electrically conductive surface is distal facing and is positioned radially from the longitudinal axis by a distance that is greater than the radius of the elongate body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical system, comprising:
 a catheter comprising:
 an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion; and 
 an electrode structure located at the distal end of the elongate body, the electrode structure comprising:
 a central shaft configured to extend at least partially through a lumen of the elongate body and out of the distal portion of the elongate body, wherein a portion of the central shaft that extends distally of the lumen extends along a longitudinal axis; and 
 a plurality of arms arranged around the central shaft, each arm comprising:
 a proximal end operatively connected to the distal portion of the elongate body; 
 a distal end operatively connected to a distal portion of the central shaft; 
 a midpoint located between the proximal end and the distal end; and 
 a plurality of electrodes located between the proximal end and the distal end, 
 
 
 wherein the electrode structure is configured:
 to be passable through a patient's vasculature in a collapsed configuration in which each arm extends in a direction that is generally parallel with the central shaft; and 
 to engage a larger portion of tissue of the heart by transitioning, while in a heart of the patient, from the collapsed configuration to a deployed configuration, wherein the transitioning includes:
 the midpoint of each arm of the plurality of arms moving radially outward from the longitudinal axis, and 
 each arm forms an arch between the proximal end and the distal end. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The medical system of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle operatively connected to the proximal portion of the elongate body. 
     
     
         3 . The medical system of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more actuation features on the handle configured to transition the electrode structure from the collapsed configuration to the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The medical system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more actuation features includes a push button. 
     
     
         5 . The medical system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more actuation features includes a thumb slide. 
     
     
         6 . The medical system of  claim 5 , wherein the thumb slide is coupled to the central shaft by a pull wire, wherein actuating the thumb slide causes the pull wire to pull the central shaft proximally toward the handle to transition the electrode structure from the collapsed configuration into the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The medical system of  claim 5 , wherein the thumb slide is coupled to the central shaft, wherein actuating the thumb slide pulls the central shaft proximally toward the handle to transition the electrode structure into the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The medical system of  claim 7 , wherein the electrode structure is configured to transition from the collapsed configuration to the deployed configuration by pulling the central shaft proximally toward the handle using the thumb slide to cause the midpoint of each arm of the plurality of arms to move radially outward from the longitudinal axis in response to a compressive force exerted upon each arm of the plurality of arms. 
     
     
         9 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode structure is configured to transition from the collapsed configuration to the deployed configuration by pulling the central shaft proximally toward the proximal portion of the elongate body and causing the midpoint of each arm of the plurality of arms to extend radially outward from the longitudinal axis in response to a compressive force exerted upon each arm of the plurality of arms. 
     
     
         10 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the central shaft is configured to move longitudinally through the lumen relative to the elongate body. 
     
     
         11 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the central shaft is configured to move longitudinally through the lumen relative to each proximal end of the plurality of arms. 
     
     
         12 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the central shaft is configured to retract proximally to enhance contact between a target tissue region of the patient and the plurality of electrodes on each arm of the plurality of arms by causing the electrode structure to transition from the collapsed configuration to the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         13 . The medical system of  claim 12 , wherein contact includes electrical contact. 
     
     
         14 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein when the electrode structure is in the deployed configuration, the plurality of electrodes of the plurality of arms are configured to contact a radius of a target tissue region of the patient that is an order of magnitude greater than a radius of the elongate body. 
     
     
         15 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of arms includes five arms. 
     
     
         16 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the arms of the plurality of arms are symmetrically arranged around the central shaft such that each arm of the plurality of arms defines a similar radial angle to adjacent arms when viewed along the longitudinal axis when the plurality of arms is in the collapsed configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the arms of the plurality of arms are symmetrically arranged around the central shaft such that each arm of the plurality of arms defines a similar radial angle to adjacent arms when viewed along the longitudinal axis when the plurality of arms is in the deployed configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode structure is configured to transition into the deployed configuration such that the midpoint of each arm is at a furthest distance away from the central shaft as measured along a plane that is orthogonal to the central shaft as compared to respective distances between the central shaft and other points of each arm. 
     
     
         19 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the central shaft is configured to apply a compressive force upon the distal end of each arm of the plurality of arms; and   each arm of the plurality of arms is configured to arch between the proximal end and the distal end into a geometric configuration in response to the compressive force that compresses each arm between the distal portion of the elongate body and the distal end of the arm connected to the central shaft.   
     
     
         20 . The medical system of  claim 1 , wherein the central shaft is configured to allow a guidewire to extend through the central shaft. 
     
     
         21 . A medical system, comprising:
 a handle including a thumb-slide; and   a catheter comprising:
 an elongate body having a proximal portion operatively coupled to the handle and a distal portion; 
 an electrode structure located at the distal end of the catheter, the electrode structure comprising:
 a central shaft operatively coupled to the thumb slide and configured to extend at least partially through a lumen of the elongate body and out of the distal portion of the elongate body, wherein a portion of the central shaft that extends distally of the lumen extends along a longitudinal axis; and 
 a plurality of arms arranged around the central shaft, each arm comprising:
 a proximal end operatively connected to the distal portion of the elongate body; 
 a distal end operatively connected to a distal portion of the central shaft; 
 a midpoint located between the proximal end and the distal end; and 
 a plurality of electrodes located between the proximal end and the distal end, 
 
 wherein the electrode structure is configured:
 to be passable through a patient's vasculature in a collapsed configuration in which each arm extends in a direction that is generally parallel with the central shaft; 
 to engage a larger portion of tissue of the heart by transitioning, while in a heart of the patient, from the collapsed configuration to a deployed configuration, wherein the transitioning includes: 
  the midpoint of each arm of the plurality of arms moving radially outward from the longitudinal axis, and 
  each arm forms an arch between the proximal end and the distal end; and 
 wherein the five arms are symmetrically arranged around the central shaft when the five arms are in either the collapsed configuration or the deployed configuration, such that each arm of the five arms defines a similar radial angle to adjacent arms when viewed along the longitudinal axis of the central shaft.