JP5253535B2 - Electrode catheter - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrode catheter in which a ring electrode is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of a distal end region of a tube member.

For example, as an electrode catheter for diagnosing or treating cardiac arrhythmia, one having a distal end portion that bends in the plane of the catheter has been introduced (see Patent Document 1).
As shown in FIG. 8, the electrode catheter includes a catheter body 110, a control handle 116, a catheter tip portion 114, a plurality of ring electrodes 140, a tip electrode 138, and a connector 118. In addition, a tension wire and a flexible structure (plate spring) for bending the catheter distal end portion 114 in the plane are disposed inside the electrode catheter.

  9 is a cross-sectional view showing the catheter tip portion 114 of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. 8, in which 120 is a side hole formed in the tube wall of the catheter tip portion 114, and 117 is a flexible structure (cross-section). Is a rectangular plate), 130 is a conducting wire, 126 and 127 are lumens, and 129 is an injection tube.

  The tip electrode 138 and the ring electrode 140 are each connected to a separate conductor 130. These conducting wires 130 are formed by coating a metal core wire with a resin. The conducting wire 130 connected to the ring-shaped electrode 140 is spot-welded to the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode 140 at each distal end portion, and has a lumen from the side hole 120 formed in the tube wall of the catheter distal end portion 114. 126 extends into the lumen 126, the lumen of the catheter body 110 and the inner bore of the control handle 116 and is connected to the connector 118 at each rear end portion.

  As a method of attaching the ring-shaped electrode 140 to the catheter tip portion 114, the side electrode 120 formed in the tube wall of the catheter tip portion 114 is inserted into the lumen 126 through the lead wire 130, and a coating resin for the tip portion of the lead wire 130 is used. The metal core wire that has been peeled and exposed is spot welded to the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode 138, and then the ring-shaped electrode 138 is slidably fitted to the outer periphery of the catheter tip portion 114. A method of sliding (sliding) along the axial direction of the distal end portion 114 of the catheter to a position where the opening can be closed, and fixing with a polyurethane adhesive or the like at the position is performed.

JP 2006-255401 A

However, conventionally known electrode catheters including those introduced in Patent Document 1 have the following problems.
The operation of passing the lead wire through the lumen of the catheter is complicated, and the lead wire may be broken (disconnected) during this operation.
Also, the operation of welding the tip of the conductor to the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode is complicated, and sufficient bonding strength may not be ensured by welding (spot welding). The conductor may be disconnected.
Furthermore, a deflection mechanism (a pulling wire and a leaf spring) for the tip deflection operation is disposed in the lumen of the catheter, and a sufficient space for passing the conducting wire cannot be secured. In particular, in an electrode catheter equipped with a large number of electrodes, it is extremely difficult to pass a large number of conductors connected to each of these electrodes through a narrow lumen.
Moreover, the conducting wire passed through the lumen may be damaged by rubbing with a tensile wire or the like, and the conducting wire may be broken.

The present invention has been made based on the above situation.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrode catheter that can easily perform a wiring operation for electrically connecting a ring electrode and a terminal of a connector and is excellent in productivity. A second object of the present invention is to provide an electrode catheter that can prevent breakage of a conducting wire that electrically connects a ring-shaped electrode and a terminal of a connector.
A third object of the present invention is to provide an electrode catheter having a high bonding strength of a conducting wire to a ring-shaped electrode.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide an electrode catheter that does not require a space for passing a lead wire in the lumen and can effectively use the lumen.

(1) The electrode catheter of the present invention comprises an insulating tube member;
A control handle connected to the proximal side of the tube member;
A connector fixed to the control handle and having a terminal in the control handle; a ring electrode fixed to an outer peripheral surface of a distal end region of the tube member;
An FPC board disposed in a tube wall of the tube member;
The FPC board includes a long film portion extending in a tube axis direction within a tube wall of the tube member, and a widened portion that extends in a circumferential direction of the tube member and is wound around the tube member at a fixing position of the ring electrode. A film part;
A metal foil formed on the widened film portion, a contact layer to which the inner peripheral surface of the ring electrode is fixed,
It consists of a metal foil formed on the long film part, the tip of which is connected to the contact layer, extends in the tube axis direction of the tube member, and its rear end is electrically connected to the connector terminal. And a conductive wire layer connected to.

(2) The electrode catheter of the present invention comprises an insulating tube member;
A control handle connected to the proximal side of the tube member;
A connector fixed to the control handle and having a plurality of terminals in the control handle;
A plurality of ring-shaped electrodes each spaced apart and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the distal end region of the tube member;
An FPC board disposed in a tube wall of the tube member;
The FPC board extends in the tube axis direction in the tube wall of the tube member, and extends in the circumferential direction of the tube member, and is wound around the tube member at each fixed position of the ring-shaped electrode. A plurality of widening film portions,
A metal foil formed on each of the widened film portions, a plurality of contact layers to which the inner peripheral surface of each of the ring electrodes is fixed,
The metal film formed on the long film portion, each tip is connected to each of the contact layers, and extends in the tube axis direction while being insulated from each other in the tube wall of the tube member. The rear end has a plurality of conductor layers electrically connected to each of the terminals of the connector .

According to the electrode catheter configured as described above, there is no need to perform a complicated operation of passing the lead wire through the lumen of the catheter or welding the tip of the lead wire to the inner peripheral surface of the ring electrode. Wiring operation for electrically connecting the electrode and the terminal of the connector can be easily performed.
Moreover, since the conducting wire layer of an FPC board consists of metal foil formed on the elongate film part, it is hard to be fractured. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the conducting wire layer from being broken (disconnected) during manufacture and use of the electrode catheter of the present invention.
In addition, since the ring-shaped electrode and the conductive wire layer are connected via the contact layer made of the metal foil formed on the widened film portion, the joint area between the two can be sufficiently secured, and the ring-shaped electrode It is possible to increase the bonding strength of the conductive wire layer to.
In addition, since the conducting wire layer constituting the FPC board extends into the tube wall of the tube member and it is not necessary to pass the conducting wire connected to the ring-shaped electrode through the lumen of the tube member, the lumen (space) of the tube member Can be used effectively.

(3) In the electrode catheter of the present invention, the tube member is composed of an inner tube portion (inner layer) and an outer tube portion (outer layer),
The FPC board is disposed between the inner tube portion and the outer tube portion,
The inner surface of the ring-shaped electrode is fixed to the contact layer of the FPC board exposed by removing a part of the wall material of the outer tube portion, so that the ring-shaped electrode becomes the tip region of the tube member. It is preferable to be fixed to the outer peripheral surface.

  According to such a configuration, the conductive wire layer of the FPC board can be extended into the tube wall of the tube member, and the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode is securely fixed to the contact layer of the FPC board. Can do.

(4) In the electrode catheter of the present invention having a plurality of ring-shaped electrodes, the FPC board extends from the inside of the tube wall of the tube member inside the control handle, and each of the conductive layers of the FPC board. The rear end is preferably electrically connected to each terminal of the connector.

According to such a configuration, the wiring operation for connecting the ring electrode and the terminal of the connector can be performed more easily.
In addition, the internal space of the control handle can be used effectively.

(5) In this case, comprising a connector-side FPC board having a plurality of conductive layers made of metal foil connected to each of the terminals of the connector,
Each of the ring-shaped electrodes and each of the terminals of the connector are electrically connected via the FPC board extending from the tube wall of the tube member and the connector-side FPC board. Is preferred.

(6) Moreover, it is preferable that the said FPC board extended from the inside of the tube wall of the said tube member and the said connector side FPC board are connected through the male-female connector.

  According to the above configuration, it is possible to avoid a complicated process of connecting each of the conductive wire layers of the FPC board and each of the terminals of the connector.

(7) In the electrode catheter of the present invention including a plurality of ring-shaped electrodes, the contact layer located nth from the tip (where n is an integer of 2 or more) in the FPC board is at least from the tip It is preferable that the conductor layer is divided by the conductive layer connected to the (n-1) th contact layer.

  With such a pattern configuration, it is possible to ensure insulation between a plurality of ring-shaped electrodes.

According to the electrode catheter of the present invention, the wiring operation for connecting the ring electrode and the terminal of the connector can be easily performed, and the productivity is excellent.
According to the electrode catheter of the present invention, it is possible to prevent breakage (disconnection) of a conductive wire (conductive wire layer) that connects the ring-shaped electrode and the terminal of the connector.
According to the electrode catheter of the present invention, the bonding strength of the conducting wire (conducting wire layer) to the ring-shaped electrode can be increased, and the conducting wire (conducting wire layer) can be prevented from coming off from the ring-shaped electrode.
According to the electrode catheter of the present invention, unlike the conventional electrode catheter, it is not necessary to pass a lead wire through the lumen, so that the lumen of the catheter tube can be used effectively.

It is a perspective view which shows the electrode catheter which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the front-end | tip part of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the front-end | tip part of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. 1, and illustration of the deflection | deviation mechanism is abbreviate | omitted. It is IIIA-IIIA sectional drawing of FIG. 2B. It is the IIIB-IIIB sectional view of Drawing 2B. It is IIIC-IIIC sectional drawing of FIG. 2B. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the base end part of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the FPC board | substrate which comprises the electrode catheter shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the manufacturing method (mounting process of a ring-shaped electrode) of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the other example of the manufacturing method of the electrode catheter shown in FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional electrode catheter. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the front-end | tip part of the electrode catheter shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, the electrode catheter of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<Embodiment>
The electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is used, for example, for diagnosis or treatment of arrhythmia in the heart.

  The electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment includes a catheter tube 10 (tube member) constituted by an inner tube portion 10A (inner layer) and an outer tube portion 10B (outer layer), and a control handle connected to the proximal end side of the catheter tube 10 20, a connector 70 fixed to the proximal end side of the control handle 20 and having a plurality of terminals in the control handle 20, a distal electrode 31 fixed to the distal end of the catheter tube 10, and a distal electrode 31 Electrical connection is made between the lead wire 46, four ring electrodes 32 fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the distal end region of the catheter tube 10, and each of the ring electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70. In order to achieve this, it is disposed (embedded) in the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 (between the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B), and the control hand Inside the tube 20, the FPC board 40 extending from the inside of the tube wall of the catheter tube 10, the leaf spring 55 extending to the lumen at the distal end portion of the catheter tube 10, and the lumen eccentric from the central axis of the catheter tube 10. And a connector-side FPC board 80 having four conductor layers 84 made of a metal foil connected to each of the terminals of the connector 70.

The FPC board 40 constituting the electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment includes a long film portion 41 extending in the tube axis direction within the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 and the circumferential direction of the catheter tube 10, and the ring-shaped electrode 32. Each of the fixed positions includes four widened film portions 42 wound around the catheter tube 10 (inner tube portion 10A) and a metal foil formed on each of the widened film portions 42. It consists of four contact layers 43 to which the surface is fixed and a metal foil formed on the long film part 41, and each tip is connected to each contact layer 43 to insulate the inside of the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 from each other. And four conductive layers 44 that extend in the tube axis direction and are electrically connected to each of the terminals of the connector 70, respectively.
Each of the ring-shaped electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70 are electrically connected via the FPC board 40 (conductive wire layer 44) and the connector-side FPC board 80 (conductive wire layer 84).

The catheter tube 10 is a single lumen structure tube constituted by an inner tube portion 10A (inner layer) and an outer tube portion 10B (outer layer).
The catheter tube 10 (the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B) may be configured by a tube having the same characteristics along the tube axis direction. It is preferable to have a proximal end portion that is integrally formed in the tube axis direction and that is relatively more rigid than the distal end portion.
Examples of the constituent material of the catheter tube 10 (the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B) include synthetic resins such as polyolefin, polyamide, polyether polyamide, and polyurethane.

The outer diameter of the catheter tube 10 (outer tube portion 10B) is usually 0.6 to 3.0 mm, preferably 1.3 to 3.0 mm.
The inner diameter of the catheter tube 10 (inner tube portion 10A) is usually 0.5 to 2.5 mm, preferably 1.0 to 1.5 mm.
The length of the catheter tube 10 is usually 400 to 1500 mm, and preferably 700 to 1200 mm.

  The distal end portion of the catheter tube 10 can be bent (bent) by pulling the pull wire 50. The length of the flexible tip portion is, for example, 30 to 200 mm.

A control handle 20 is connected to the proximal end side of the catheter tube 10.
In FIG. 1, 21 is a grip and 22 is a knob.
By sliding the knob 22 of the control handle 20 in the X direction (front end side or rear end side) shown in FIG. 1, the rear end of the pulling wire 50 is pulled, and the front end portion of the catheter tube 10 is shown in FIG. Can bend in the direction. Further, by rotating the control handle 20, the rotational torque can be transmitted to the catheter tube 10.
Therefore, by operating the control handle 20, the distal end portion of the catheter tube 10 can be guided to the target site.

  A connector 70 having a plurality of terminals is arranged inside the proximal end of the control handle 20. Each terminal of the connector 70 is electrically connected to each of the tip electrode 31 and the ring electrode 32.

A distal electrode 31 is fixed to the distal end of the catheter tube 10.
The tip electrode 31 is made of a metal having good electrical conductivity such as aluminum, copper, stainless steel, gold, or platinum. In addition, in order to give the contrast property with respect to a X-ray favorable, it is preferable to comprise with platinum etc. The outer diameter of the tip electrode 31 is not particularly limited, but is preferably approximately the same as the outer diameter of the catheter tube 10.
The outer diameter of the tip electrode 31 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about the same as the outer diameter of the catheter tube 10 and is usually about 0.6 to 3 mm.
A conducting wire 46 is connected to the tip electrode 31. The lead wire 46 connected to the tip electrode 31 is formed by coating a metal core wire with resin, extends to the lumen of the catheter tube 10 and the inner hole of the control handle 20, and is connected to the terminal of the connector 70.

The inner concave portion of the tip electrode 31 is filled with solder 60 for connecting and fixing the lead wire 46, the leaf spring 55, and the tension wire 50 to the tip electrode 31.
The material of the solder 60 is not particularly limited. For example, Sn—Pb is generally used. However, Sn—Pb—Ag or Sn—Pb—Cu may be used, and Pb-free Sn—Ag— Cu, Sn—Cu, Sn—Ag, Sn—Ag—Cu—Bi, or the like can be used.

Four ring electrodes 32 are fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the distal end region of the catheter tube 10.
Examples of the constituent material of the ring-shaped electrode 32 include the same metals as those exemplified as the constituent material of the tip electrode 31, and platinum is preferable.
The outer diameter of the ring-shaped electrode 32 is not particularly limited, but is preferably about the same as the outer diameter of the catheter tube 10 and is usually about 0.6 to 3 mm.

  In the electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment, the electrode width of the ring-shaped electrode 32 (the length of the catheter tube 10 in the tube axis direction) varies depending on the purpose of the electrode, but is preferably 0.3 to 4.0 mm. One example is 1.0 mm.

As shown in FIG. 2A, FIG. 2B, FIG. 3A, FIG. 3B, and FIG. 3C, the inside of the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 (between the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B) is FPC (Flexible Pattern Circuit). A substrate 40 is disposed (embedded).
The FPC board 40 is a means for electrically connecting each of the four ring-shaped electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70. By connecting the FPC board 40 to the connector-side FPC board 80, The electrical connection between each of the ring-shaped electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70 can be ensured.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the FPC board 40 constituting the electrode catheter of the present embodiment has a long film portion 41 and four widened film portions 42 which are insulating films, and a pattern formed on these insulating films. The contact layer 43 (431 to 434) and the four conductive wire layers 44 are included. In the figure, 45 is an intermediate connector (for example, a male connector) attached to the base end side of the FPC board 40.

  The long film portion 41 constituting the FPC board 40 is disposed so as to extend in the tube axis direction within the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 (between the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B).

The four widened film portions 42 constituting the FPC board 40 extend in the circumferential direction of the catheter tube 10 (both directions perpendicular to the direction in which the long film portion extends), and fix each of the ring electrodes 32 in the catheter tube 10. It is wound around the inner tube portion 10A at the position. The winding angle of the widened film portion 42 (θ ₄₂ in FIG. 3A) is 180 to 360 °, preferably 270 to 355 °.

The four contact layers 43 constituting the FPC board 40 are made of a metal foil (conductor foil) formed on each of the widened film portions 42 (insulating film).
Since the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode 32 is fixed to each of the contact layers 43, the contact layer 43 is positioned outside the widened film portion 42 when the widened film portion 42 is wound around the inner tube portion 10A.
The range of formation of the contact layer 43 in the circumferential direction of the catheter tube 10 (θ ₄₃ in FIG. 3A) is 180 to 360 °, preferably 270 to 355 °.

The four conducting wire layers 44 constituting the FPC board 40 are made of a linear metal foil (conductor foil) formed on the long film portion 41 (insulating film).
Each of the four conductive wire layers 44 is connected to each of the contact layers 43, and the tube walls of the catheter tube 10 (between the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B) are insulated from each other. It extends in the axial direction.
In addition, the insulating thin film which is not shown in figure is formed in the surface of the elongate film part 41 in which the conducting wire layer 44 is formed, and each conducting wire layer 44 is completely coat | covered with the insulating material.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in the FPC board 40, the contact layer 43 (432) located second from the tip is connected to the contact layer 43 (431) located first from the tip. The contact layer 43 (433) located third from the tip is separated by the conductive layer 44 connected to the contact layer 43 (431, 432) located first and second from the tip, The contact layer 43 (434) located at the fourth position from the tip is divided by the conductive layer 44 connected to the contact layers 43 (431, 432, 433) located at the first to third positions from the tip.

  According to such a pattern configuration, it is possible to ensure insulation between the contact layers 43 (431, 432, 433, 434), and in turn, insulation between the four ring electrodes 32. Note that the pattern configuration for ensuring the insulation between the contact layers 43 (431, 432, 433, 434) is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5, and the contact layer on the rear end side should be avoided. Insulation can also be ensured by a pattern configuration that bypasses the conductor layer.

The catheter tube 10 constituting the electrode catheter 100 has a contact layer 43 in a portion where each of the ring electrodes 32 is fixed (a portion where the widened film portion 42 is wound around the outer periphery of the inner tube portion 10A and the contact layer 43 is disposed). The wall material of the outer tube portion 10B covering the surface is removed (not formed).
Thereby, the inner peripheral surface of the ring-shaped electrode 32 can be reliably fixed to the exposed contact layer 43, and the ring-shaped electrode 32 can be reliably fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the distal end region of the catheter tube 10. .

  As a method for fixing the ring-shaped electrode 32 to the outer peripheral surface of the catheter tube 10, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, (1) an inner tube portion 10A constituting the catheter tube 10 is prepared, and (2) the inner tube portion 10A. Each of the widened film portions 42 is wound around a predetermined position on the outer periphery (fixed position of the ring electrode 32), and the FPC substrate 40 is disposed on the outer periphery of the inner tube portion 10A. (3) The outer periphery of the tube portion 10A is covered with the outer tube portion 10B, and (4) the contact layer is formed by peeling off the wall material of the outer tube portion 10B in the portion covering each of the contact layers 43 of the FPC board 40 with a laser or the like. 43 is exposed, and (5) the ring electrode 32 is inserted into the catheter tube 10 (the inner tube portion 10A and the outer tube portion 10B) and slid to the position of the contact layer 43, and the contact layer 43 and the ring electrode 3 (Inner peripheral surface) and it can be a method of fixing the. A method of fixing the contact layer 43 and the ring-shaped electrode 32 (inner peripheral surface) is not particularly limited, but fixing by solder is preferable. In this case, the solder layer can be sufficiently fixed by forming a solder layer on the surface of the contact layer 43 and heating from the outer peripheral surface of the ring electrode 32.

  As another method for fixing the ring electrode 32 to the outer peripheral surface of the catheter tube 10, as shown in FIG. 7, (1) an inner tube portion 10A constituting the catheter tube 10 is prepared, and (2) a contact layer. The FPC board 40 having the ring-shaped electrode 32 (inner peripheral surface) fixed in advance to each of 43 is arranged on the outer periphery of the inner tube portion 10A, and (3) the FPC board 40 to which the ring-shaped electrode 32 is fixed is arranged. After the outer periphery of the inner tube portion 10A is coated with the outer tube portion 10B, (4) the wall material of the portion of the outer tube portion 10B covering each of the ring-shaped electrodes 32 is peeled off with a laser or the like, thereby forming a ring shape. A method of exposing the electrode 32 can also be adopted.

As shown in FIG. 4, the proximal end portion of the catheter tube 10 is inserted into the inside of the control handle 20, thereby connecting the catheter tube 10 and the control handle 20. Then, the FPC board 40 embedded in the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 extends from the inside of the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 to the proximal end inside the control handle 20 in which the catheter tube 10 is inserted, It extends inside the control handle 20.
On the other hand, the FPC board (connector side FPC board 80) is also connected to the connector 70 disposed inside the control handle 20.
The connector-side FPC board 80 is formed by forming, on each insulating terminal film, four conductor layers (metal foils) 84 each having a base end connected to each terminal of the connector 70.
Further, an intermediate connector 85 (for example, a female connector) is attached to the distal end side of the connector side FPC board 80.

  And it attaches to the intermediate connector 45 attached to FPC board 40 (each of conducting wire layer 44) extended from the tube wall of catheter tube 10 to the base end side, and connector side FPC board 80 (each of conducting wire layer 84). When the intermediate connector 85 is coupled, electrical connection between each of the ring-shaped electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70 is ensured.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the electrode catheter 100 of this embodiment includes a leaf spring 55 and a tension wire 50 as a deflection mechanism for deflecting the distal end region of the catheter tube 10.
The leaf spring 55 constituting the deflection mechanism is a swinging member that can be deformed in the bending direction.
The leaf spring 55 extends along the central axis of the catheter tube 10 to the lumen at the distal end portion of the catheter tube 10, and the distal end is fixed to the distal electrode 31 by the solder 60 filled in the inner concave portion.
The axial length of the leaf spring 55 is not particularly limited, and is 40 to 300 mm, for example. The width of the leaf spring 55 is not particularly limited as long as it fits within the catheter tube 10.
The material of the leaf spring 55 is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include metal materials such as stainless steel, Ni—Ti alloy, and Co—Ni alloy, and polymer materials such as fluorine resin and polyamide resin.

Further, the pulling wire 50 constituting the deflection mechanism is eccentric from the central axis of the catheter tube 10 and extends so as to be movable in the tube axis direction in the lumen of the catheter tube 10. The tip of the tension wire 50 is fixed to the tip electrode 31 by a solder 60 filled in the inner recess. The tip of the tension wire 50 may be fixed to the tip of the leaf spring 55.
The rear end of the pull wire 50 is fixed inside the control handle 20 and can be pulled.
The tension wire 50 can be made of, for example, a metal such as stainless steel or a Ni—Ti superelastic alloy, but is not necessarily made of a metal, for example, a high-strength non-conductive wire. Also good. By configuring the pull wire with a non-conductive wire, the cause of high frequency noise can be reduced.

When the operator slides the knob 22 of the control handle 20 in the X direction (front end side or rear end side), the rear end of the pull wire 50 is pulled with respect to the catheter tube 10 by a piston mechanism (not shown) in the control handle 20. . Thereby, the front-end | tip part of the catheter tube 10 can be bent.
Of course, the deflection mechanism is not limited to this.

  According to the electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment, the FPC board 40 (contact point) is disposed in the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 and extends from the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 to the proximal end side inside the control handle 20. Since each of the ring-shaped electrodes 32 and each of the terminals of the connector 70 are electrically connected via the layer 43 and the conductive wire layer 44) and the connector-side FPC board 80 (conductive wire layer 84), the electrodes When manufacturing the catheter 100, there is no need to perform a complicated operation of drawing the lead wire through the lumen of the catheter tube or welding the tip of the lead wire to the inner peripheral surface of the ring electrode. Wiring operations for connecting each of the terminals of the connector 70 to each other can be easily performed, and the productivity is excellent.

Moreover, since the conducting wire layer 44 which comprises the FPC board | substrate 40 consists of metal foil formed on the elongate film part 41 (insulating film), it is breaking strength compared with the conducting wire used with the conventional electrode catheter. Is significantly high, and is embedded in the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 together with the long film portion 41, so that the lead wire layer 44 is broken (disconnected) during manufacture and use of the electrode catheter 100 of the present embodiment. Never do.
Furthermore, the conventional electrode catheters that have used conductive wires have problems such as tangling or rubbing between the conductive wires, and kinks of the respective conductive wires. However, the FPC board 40 in which the conductive wires are printed on an insulating film is used. According to the electrode catheter 100 of this embodiment to be used, such a problem does not occur.

  Moreover, since the ring-shaped electrode 32 and the conducting wire layer 44 are joined via the contact layer 43 made of a metal foil formed on the widened film portion 42, a sufficient joint area can be secured. The bonding strength of the conducting wire (conducting wire layer 44) to the ring electrode 32 can be increased. As a result, the conductive wire (conductive wire layer 44) does not come off from the ring-shaped electrode 32.

  Moreover, since the conducting wire layer 44 of the FPC board 40 extends into the tube wall of the catheter tube 10, the conducting wire passed through the lumen of the catheter tube 10 is only the conducting wire 46 connected to the tip electrode 31. The lumen (space) of the catheter tube 10 can be used effectively.

  Further, an FPC board 40 extending from the inside of the tube wall of the catheter tube 10 and a connector-side FPC board 80 are disposed inside the control handle 20, and the FPC board 40 (each base end of the conducting wire layer 44); The connector-side FPC board 80 (each leading end of the conducting wire layer 84) is coupled via the intermediate connector 45 and the intermediate connector 85, so that each conducting wire layer 44 of the FPC board 40 and the terminal of the connector 70 are connected. It is possible to avoid the step of connecting each of these with a conductive wire or the like, to further facilitate the wiring operation, and to effectively use the internal space of the control handle 20.

As mentioned above, although one Embodiment of this invention was described, the electrode catheter of this invention is not limited to these, A various deflection | deviation is possible.
For example, the number of ring electrodes is not limited to four, and can be set as appropriate according to the type of catheter. Here, the number of ring-shaped electrodes is, for example, 1 to 20, preferably 4 to 19.
In addition, when the number of ring-shaped electrodes increases, it is also possible to use a plurality of FPC boards.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Catheter tube 10A Inner tube part 10B Outer tube part 20 Control handle 21 Grip 22 Knob 31 Tip electrode 32 Ring electrode 40 FPC board 41 Long film part 42 Wide film part 43 Contact layer 44 Conductive layer 45 Intermediate connector 46 Conductor 50 Tensile Wire 55 Leaf spring 60 Solder 70 Connector 80 Connector side FPC board 84 Conductive layer 85 Intermediate connector

Claims (7)

An insulating tube member;
A control handle connected to the proximal side of the tube member;
A connector fixed to the control handle and having a terminal in the control handle; a ring electrode fixed to an outer peripheral surface of a distal end region of the tube member;
An FPC board disposed in a tube wall of the tube member;
The FPC board includes a long film portion extending in a tube axis direction within a tube wall of the tube member, and a widened portion that extends in a circumferential direction of the tube member and is wound around the tube member at a fixing position of the ring electrode. A film part;
A metal foil formed on the widened film portion, a contact layer to which the inner peripheral surface of the ring electrode is fixed,
It consists of a metal foil formed on the long film part, the tip of which is connected to the contact layer, extends in the tube axis direction of the tube member, and its rear end is electrically connected to the connector terminal. An electrode catheter comprising: a conductive wire layer connected to the electrode catheter. An insulating tube member;
A control handle connected to the proximal side of the tube member;
A connector fixed to the control handle and having a plurality of terminals in the control handle;
A plurality of ring-shaped electrodes each spaced apart and fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the distal end region of the tube member;
An FPC board disposed in a tube wall of the tube member;
The FPC board extends in the tube axis direction in the tube wall of the tube member, and extends in the circumferential direction of the tube member, and is wound around the tube member at each fixed position of the ring-shaped electrode. A plurality of widening film portions,
A metal foil formed on each of the widened film portions, a plurality of contact layers to which the inner peripheral surface of each of the ring electrodes is fixed,
The metal film formed on the long film portion, each tip is connected to each of the contact layers, and extends in the tube axis direction while being insulated from each other in the tube wall of the tube member. An electrode catheter comprising: a plurality of conductor layers whose rear ends are electrically connected to each of the terminals of the connector. The tube member is composed of an inner tube portion and an outer tube portion,
The FPC board is disposed between the inner tube portion and the outer tube portion,
The inner surface of the ring-shaped electrode is fixed to the contact layer of the FPC board exposed by removing a part of the wall material of the outer tube portion, so that the ring-shaped electrode becomes the tip region of the tube member. The electrode catheter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrode catheter is fixed to an outer peripheral surface of the electrode catheter.   The FPC board extends from the inside of the tube wall of the tube member inside the control handle, and the rear end of each conductor layer of the FPC board is electrically connected to each of the terminals of the connector. The electrode catheter according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein Comprising a connector-side FPC board having a plurality of conductive layers made of metal foil connected to each of the terminals of the connector;
Each of the ring-shaped electrodes and each of the terminals of the connector are electrically connected via the FPC board extending from the tube wall of the tube member and the connector-side FPC board. The electrode catheter according to claim 4.   The electrode catheter according to claim 5, wherein the FPC board extending from the tube wall of the tube member and the connector-side FPC board are connected via a male / female connector.   The conducting wire in which the contact layer located nth (where n is an integer of 2 or more) from the tip of the FPC board is connected to at least the contact layer located (n−1) th from the tip The electrode catheter according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the electrode catheter is divided by layers.

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