US 20050165324 A1
A sensor is provided on a lead and senses various physical parameters that are indicative of a desired anatomical target, such as the coronary sinus. The data from the sensor is used to navigate to the anatomical target and/or confirm that the anatomical target has been reached. In one embodiment, the sensor is a temperature sensor and increased temperature values in and around the coronary sinus are used for navigational purposes.
1. A device comprising:
a lead body navigable within portions of a cardiac anatomy;
a sensor disposed on the lead body and sensing a physical parameter;
a navigation processor communicatively coupled with the sensor for receiving the sensed physical parameters and manipulating the sensed physical parameters into navigational data; and
a navigational output device communicatively coupled with the navigational processor, wherein the navigational data is output by the navigational output device.
2. The device of
3. The device of
4. The device of
5. The device of
6. The device of
7. The device of
8. The device of
9. The device of
a patient imaging device for providing patient image data; and
a supplemental patient parameter monitor for sensing supplemental patient parameter, wherein the patient image data and the supplemental patient parameter are provided to the navigational possessor so that the navigational data is based upon the supplemental patient parameter, the image data, and the sensed physical parameter.
10. The device of
11. The device of
12. A system comprising:
means for manipulating and directing a device within cardiac an anatomy;
means for sensing a physical parameter;
means for processing the physical parameter into navigational information; and
means for presenting the navigational information;
13. The system of
14. The system of
15. The system of
means for acquiring imaging data; and
means for combining the imaging data and the navigational information for presentation by the means for presenting.
16. A method of navigating a lead within cardiac anatomy, the method comprising:
passing a lead having a temperature sensor into a right atrial chamber;
sensing temperature values within the right atrial chamber to determine an averaged value;
sensing temperature values within the coronary sinus;
comparing the temperature values within the coronary sinus to the averaged temperature value and determining that the lead is within the coronary sinus based upon the comparison.
17. A method of navigating a lead within cardiac anatomy, the method comprising:
directing a lead having a temperature sensor into a right atrial chamber;
determining an average temperature value for the right atrial chamber;
moving the lead about the right atrial chamber to obtain temperature values; and
moving the lead towards a targeted area of the right atrial chamber based upon increased temperature values.
18. The method of
19. The method of
20. The method of
21. The method of
identifying one or more known anatomical features having a predetermined spatial relationship to the targeted area; and
defining a search area through which the sensor is moved based upon the identification of the one or more known anatomical features.
The present invention relates to implantable medical devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and method for locating a specific anatomical position.
Various medical devices exist that utilize a lead to sense signals from or deliver electrical stimulation to cardiac tissue. For example, cardiac pacemakers often utilize a single lead having a distal tip disposed within the right atrium or right ventricle of the heart to sense and pace. Dual chamber devices have a lead in both the ventricle and the atrium and are quite commonly used. Implanting a lead within either right-sided chamber is relatively straightforward and typically presents little complication for a skilled practitioner.
More recently, a benefit has been recognized in pacing, sensing, stimulating or otherwise having communication with the left side of the heart. In general, leads are typically not implanted within the left atrium or left ventricle as oxygenated blood flows from the left side to the remainder of the body. As such, left sided lead placement has undertaken several alternative approaches.
An epicardial lead may be affixed to an external portion of the heart, i.e., the pericardium, at an appropriate location on the left side of the heart. While current techniques are being improved, the difficulty with the use of such epicardial leads is their guidance and manipulation from the implant site, through the chest cavity to the heart, and their affixation. The procedure is at least different, if not more complicated, than standard venous implantation for, e.g., right sided leads.
As such, a venous implantation technique is available and is presently the most commonly used technique for left-sided lead implantations. In summary, a lead is advanced into the right atrium and caused to enter the coronary sinus. The lead is then manipulated through the cardiac vein until it is properly situated against the exterior wall of the left ventricle or left atrium. Because of this disposition within a relatively narrow vein, the lead is often affixed by relying on a wedging action of a biased portion of the lead, though other affixation techniques may be utilized.
One of the more challenging aspects of such an implantation is initially inserting the lead or the guiding mechanism (e.g., catheter, stylet, guidewire) into the ostium of the coronary sinus. In fact, this step often accounts for a great deal of the total implantation time. In addition, the variability in this difficult step between patients leads to great variability in total implant time across patients. In some difficult cases, the coronary sinus cannot be located and the procedure is abandoned in lieu of an epicardial lead placement.
The difficulty in inserting the lead or guiding mechanism into the coronary sinus arises from several different factors. Entry into the right atrium is, as mentioned relatively straight forward. For example, following the superior vena cava will lead directly into the right atrium. However, the right atrium is a relatively large (with respect to the coronary sinus), chamber that is in rhythmic motion. For this reason alone, navigation, especially via remote manipulation, is difficult. In addition, more significant anatomical structures, such as the tricuspid valve or the inferior vena cava are more easily detected and in that sense, provide obstacles to manipulating the device to find the coronary sinus. The position, configuration, and orientation of the coronary sinus often make it somewhat occluded and thus, more difficult to find. Finally, the angle of entry is often not conducive to easy remote manipulation. Wide variation in patient anatomy may greatly affect the scope of any or all of these issues.
The implantation procedure often relies on a fluoroscope to permit the practitioner to view certain anatomical features and the leads current position with respect to those features. Fluoroscopy does not illustrate soft tissue very well and provides virtually no guidance with respect to locating the coronary sinus. Thus, the practitioner is working almost entirely be feel.
Thus, one of the major obstacles in left sided lead implantations, or other left sided procedures, is the initial location of the coronary sinus and the insertion of the lead, guiding mechanism, or other tool therethrough.
The present invention, in one embodiment is a system and method that provides for the guidance of a device to the ostium of the coronary sinus and/or provides confirmation that the device is located within the coronary sinus. The device is a lead that is being implanted or is a guidance device, such as a catheter, stylet, guidewire or the like that will facilitate the implantation of a lead. The device could also be various other tools such as an ablation electrode or various sensors that are used on a temporary or permanent basis.
The coronary sinus provides an entryway for return blood flow into the right atrium and, as previously indicated, is relatively small with respect to the right atrium. As such, the return blood flow generates a number of physical characteristics. For example, there is a temperature variance between the blood within the coronary sinus and that within the right atrium on the order of about 1° C. More precisely, the temperature differential is usually on the order of about 0.2° C. As such, there is a temperature gradient about the ostium of the coronary sinus. In addition, the pulsitile blood flow generates certain pressure characteristics as well as turbulent flow. The oxygen and/or carbon dioxide levels of the return blood from the coronary sinus are distinguishable from that present in the right atrium. In summary, the nature of the return blood flow from the coronary sinus presents certain detectable physical indicia.
Lead 10 is communicatively coupled with a navigation control display 18 via electrical connections 16. Navigation control display 18 takes data acquired from the sensor 14 and displays or otherwise presents the data (e.g., audible representations). Alternatively, or in addition thereto, navigation control display 18 processes the data and then displays or presents guidance information.
The sensor 14 may sense any criteria useful for locating the coronary sinus and/or confirming that the sensor 14 is disposed within the coronary sinus. In one embodiment, the sensor 14 is a temperature sensor. In another embodiment, the sensor 14 is for example, a pressures sensor, an oxygen sensor, a chemical sensor (e.g., lactate), senses PH balance, is a velocity sensor that senses flow, is an ultrasound sensor (with or without Doppler capability), or is an optical sensor. For any given parameter, multiple sensor options exist. Pressure, for example, may be sensed via compression of a calibrated element, a piezo-electric sensor, or an optical sensor. Likewise, blood oxygen may be sensed via an optical sensor or a chemical sensor that measures direct levels or derivatives.
As illustrated in
In use, the lead 10 is guided into the right atrium and the sensor 14 provides data to an external device. This data is used by the physician to manipulate and guide the lead 10 to the coronary sinus and/or confirm that the lead 10 is within the coronary sinus. Of course, the present invention could be used to navigate to any other desired anatomical location, based on appropriate sensed parameters.
In one embodiment, the sensor 14 is a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor 14 is a thermocouple, a thermistor, or any other temperature sensing device at least having sufficient ability to distinguish temperature variations within a range that is on the order of about 0.2° C., as this represents the temperature gradient about the ostium of the coronary sinus. While accurate calibration between sensed and actual temperature values is appropriate and may, in some embodiments, provide additional value, accurate sensing of temperature differentials provides sufficient basis for navigation. The temperature increase between the ostium as compared to the averaged right atrium may be used, rather than specific temperature values, in certain embodiments.
In one embodiment, the temperature sensor 14 is sufficiently sensitive and provides a sufficient signal to noise ratio to accurately detect temperature variations on the order 0.01° C. This temperature sensor 14 has a rapid response time of 50 milliseconds or better so as to provide tracking information relating to movement of the sensor 14. Finally, the temperature sensor 14 is stable so that indicated temperature variations reliably result from actual temperature differential and not from a drift in the sensor characteristics.
Various potential paths taken by the sensor 14 when moved within the right atrium are illustrated as solid lines 1-4. Path 1 causes the sensor 14 to remain sufficiently distant from the ostium 32 so as to only detect blood temperatures in the averaged range; that is, the average temperature of blood within the right atrium.
Path 2 represents movement of the sensor 14 from the right atrium past the ostium 32. The resultant temperature graph is illustrated in
More directional information is gathered by providing a plurality of sensors 14 that are arranged circumferentially about the lead 10, as illustrated in
The representations provided in
While such raw data provides value in certain embodiments, the present invention also provides for computational analysis of this raw data to generate navigational information and/or provide for confirmation of entry. For example, by recording temperature versus position, as represented in
In one embodiment, the navigational aides are used in concert with existing medical and sensory equipment to aide the physician.
The processor 58 takes the sensor data 52, and as previously discussed, generates the appropriate navigational information that is then displayed on or broadcast from a navigational display 60. The navigational display 60 is a display screen such as for example a CRT or LCD. This display 60 is viewed by the physician 62 and allows for manipulation of the lead 10 within the patient 50 in order to find, enter, and/or confirm entry into the coronary sinus.
The navigational display 60, in one embodiment, displays only information derived by the processor from the sensor data 52. In another embodiment, the derived information is correlated with image data 54 and a composite is generated. For example, current positional data from the sensor 14 and/or an identified position of the coronary sinus are superimposed or digitally combined on a given image or image feed. Thus, the normally transparent soft tissue of the coronary sinus may be represented on the image based on the processed navigational data. The particular technique used to combine the senor data 52 and the image data 54 will vary depending upon the types of each. For example, digitally created navigational data is superimposed over an analog image source or the image data 54 is digitally captured and manipulated to form a composite with the sensor data 52.
Various other physical parameters may have an affect on the data sensed by sensor 14. For example, when sensing temperature the patient's respiration and cardiac cycle cyclically affect the temperature. Thus, supplemental patient data 56 is gathered and utilized by the processor 58 to generate the navigational information. The supplemental patient data 58 includes, for example, EEG, EKG, blood pressure, respiration rate, tidal volume, patient position/orientation, ambient temperature, patient temperature, drug/pharmacology data (type, rate, dosage, etc.), implant data (e.g., if already in place), or other parameters that would affect the sensed data 52.
The processor 58 takes the various data available to provide a useful navigational result to the physician 62. The navigational display 60 provides meaningful visual and/or audio output that assists the physician in navigating a device, such as lead 10, within the anatomy of the patient. For example, the navigation display 60 assists the physician 62 in finding and/or confirming entry into the coronary sinus. As previously explained, the sensed data 52 indicates that the device is within the coronary sinus, however such data could be the result of having the device in another anatomical feature, e.g., the inferior vena cava. The processor 58 correlates the other data to effectively rule out such options.
The present invention, in various embodiments, provides for the confirmation that the lead 10 has entered the coronary sinus. This is a valuable data point for the physician as it is often very difficult to make this determination during an implantation or other type of procedure. Expanding beyond confirmation, various embodiments provide navigation aides to assist the physician in finding the coronary sinus. As explained, temperature gradients exist about the ostium that are detectable. Other parameters such as pressure, oxygen content, etc. also serve to distinguish the ostium from the remainder of the right atrium.
The particular parameter selected determines the approximate range of usefulness for navigation purposes. For example, easily measurable temperature variations are typically detectable at a distance of about 1 cm from the ostium. Thus, to rely on temperature data alone for navigation, the sensor 14 must be relatively close to ostium to then identify and navigate to the coronary sinus. Providing more accurate sensors or providing for sensors that sense a given parameter from some distance increases the useful range.
As previously explained, the lead 10 may be equipped with a plurality of sensors 14 (
In another embodiment, the present invention is utilized to determine an appropriate area to search, search for and identify the coronary sinus, and then navigate into the coronary sinus.
Thus, to ultimately locate the coronary sinus 72, one or more of these more easily identifiable anatomical features are first located to define the target area 74. Once the target area 74 is so identified, the physician has a general idea where the coronary sinus 72 is and uses the above described techniques to then located the coronary sinus 72.
Sensor 14 is deployed through the lumen 88 via an appropriate device such as lead 10, a catheter, a stylet or a similar steerable mechanism. After the anchoring members 90, 92 are secured to their respective anatomical structures, as schematically illustrated in
Various techniques may be employed to ultimately deliver a desired device such as a lead to the coronary sinus 72, with the various embodiments of the sensor 14. In one embodiment, the sensor(s) 14 are formed as part of the lead 10 and the lead 10 is simply deployed. Alternatively, the sensor(s) are attached to a catheter or a guidewire, which is deployed within the coronary sinus. The lead or other device is then deployed via the catheter or over the guidewire. A dedicated device having the sensor(s) 14 may be used to “map” the right atrium and identify the location of the coronary sinus. Once done, the sensor(s) 14 are removed and the lead or other device is inserted, using the know known or mapped position of the coronary sinus.
In this embodiment, the lock-in amplifier 108 measures a relatively small signal despite significant noise by taking advantage of an AC character of the signal. The illustrated embodiment measures the resistance changes of the thermistor 102 that forms portion of the wheatstone bridge 106, with the lock-in amplifier 108 providing an AC signal. The lock-in amplifier 102 provides a reference signal at the same frequency of the sensed signal with a constant phase difference via a phase locked loop. Demodulating the signal creates a DC signal that is proportional to the original AC signal. By passing this signal through a low pass filter, only a DC signal remains that is proportional to the sensed signal. The noise is determined by the bandwidth of the low pass filter. Such an arrangement provides fast response times and accurately measures temperature differential in the necessary range.
While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
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