Basket catheter with balloon

Abstract

In one embodiment, a catheter apparatus is configured to be inserted into a body part of a living subject, and including an elongated deflectable element including a distal end, an expandable basket assembly disposed at the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines, an irrigation channel disposed in the elongated deflectable element, and an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly and including a plurality of irrigation holes in fluid connection with the irrigation channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A catheter apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 an elongated deflectable element including a distal end that extends along a central longitudinal axis;   an expandable basket assembly disposed proximate the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines extending from the distal end of the deflectable element to a distal spline connector and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines, each spline of the plurality of splines being affixed to another spline of the plurality of splines and to the distal spline connector at a distal end, the central longitudinal axis intersecting and passing through the distal spline connector; and   an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly, the balloon including a proximal balloon portion coupled to the distal end and a freely uncoupled distal balloon portion proximate the distal spline connector.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , the splines being disposed circumferentially around the inflatable balloon. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , the inflatable balloon being configured to fully inflate so that there is a gap of at least one millimeter between the fully inflated balloon and at least thirty percent of an inner surface area of the splines facing the inflatable balloon. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , each of the splines including an inner surface and an outer surface, the electrodes being disposed on the inner surface and the outer surface of respective ones of the splines. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the inflatable balloon and the expandable basket assembly include a distal end, the apparatus further comprising a support element connected to the distal end of the inflatable balloon and the distal end of the expandable basket assembly configured to maintain the gap of at least one millimeter between the fully inflated balloon and at least thirty percent of the inner surface area of the splines facing the inflatable balloon. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , each spline of the plurality of splines being affixed to the distal spline connector by an adhesive or epoxy layer. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a distal securing ring surrounding the distal spline connector, each spline of the plurality of splines being secured between the distal spline connector and the distal securing ring to affix each spline of the plurality of splines to the distal spline connector. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , each distal end of the plurality of splines being folded over to be affixed to the distal spline connector. 
     
     
         9 . A catheter apparatus comprising:
 an elongated deflectable element including a distal end;   an expandable basket assembly disposed at the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines;   an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly and configured to fully inflate so that there is a gap of at least one millimeter between the fully inflated balloon and at least thirty percent of an inner surface area of the splines facing the inflatable balloon; and   a distal spline connector positioned at a distal end of the expandable basket and distal to the inflatable balloon, each spline of the plurality of splines being affixed to the distal spline connector at a distal end, the inflatable balloon being decoupled from the distal spline connector such that the inflatable balloon and the distal spline connector are configured to define a gap between the fully inflated balloon and the distal spline connector in addition to the gap between the fully inflated balloon and the splines.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , the splines being disposed circumferentially around the inflatable balloon. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , each of the splines including an inner surface and an outer surface, the electrodes being disposed on the inner surface and the outer surface of respective ones of the splines. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , the inflatable balloon and the expandable basket assembly including a distal end, the apparatus further comprising a support element connected to the distal end of the inflatable balloon and the distal end of the expandable basket assembly configured to maintain the gap of at least one millimeter between the fully inflated balloon and at least thirty percent of the inner surface area of the splines facing the inflatable balloon. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , respective ones of the splines including Nitinol. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , the electrodes of the respective splines including Nitinol. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , respective ones of the splines including respective polymer flex circuits. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , each spline of the plurality of splines being affixed to the distal spline connector by an adhesive or epoxy layer. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising a distal securing ring surrounding the distal spline connector, each spline of the plurality of splines being secured between the distal spline connector and the distal securing ring to affix each spline of the plurality of splines to the distal spline connector. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , each distal end of the plurality of splines being folded over to be affixed to the distal spline connector. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , the distal spline connector comprising a tube or a slug. 
     
     
         20 . A catheter apparatus comprising:
 an elongated deflectable element including a distal end;   an expandable basket assembly disposed at the distal end and comprising a plurality of splines and a plurality of electrodes disposed on the splines;   an inflatable balloon disposed in the expandable basket assembly;   a distal spline connector positioned at a distal end of the expandable basket assembly; and   a distal securing ring surrounding the distal spline connector, each spline of the plurality of splines being secured between the distal spline connector and the distal securing ring to affix each spline of the plurality of splines to the distal spline connector and the distal securing ring.