Catheter, method and apparatus for generating an electrical map of a chamber of the heart

摘要

A novel apparatus and method for rapidly generating an electrical map of a chamber of a heart utilizes a catheter including a body having a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end has a distal tip and an array of non-contact electrodes having a proximal end and a distal end and at least one location sensor. Preferably, two location sensors are utilized. The first location sensor is preferably proximate to the catheter distal tip and the second location sensor is preferably proximate to the proximal end of the non-contact electrode array. The catheter distal end further preferably includes a contact electrode at its distal tip. Preferably, at least one and preferably both of the location sensors provide six degrees of location information. The location sensor is preferably an electromagnetic location sensor. The catheter is used for rapidly generating an electrical map of the heart within at least one cardiac cycle and preferably includes cardiac ablation and post-ablation validation.