ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Interventional cardiovascular procedures are performed while operators view multiple visual displays including fluoroscopic and ultrasonic images, intracardiac electrical signals, electroanatomic mapping data, and hemodynamic indices. Operators are unable to palpate physiologic and biophysical signals or feel intracardiac anatomy due to the attenuation and dampening properties of cardiac catheters. This poses a significant limitation when performing higher risk procedures such as complex coronary interventions, transeptal or epicardial puncture to gain access to the left atrium or pericardium for ablation of heart rhythm disorders, cardiac device delivery, and when attempting to maintain stable tissue contact force ("CF") during ablation of cardiac arrhythmia. METHODS/MATERIALS: We utilized signals acquired from a prototype sensorized cardiac guiding catheter, conventional transeptal puncture kit with end hole manometry, commercially available contact force sensing ablation catheter, and epicardial puncture needle, input these signals into a novel signal processing system and generated palpable sensations to blinded subjects using a proprietary tactile/force (haptic) feedback system. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the system was performed. RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The proprietary haptic (tactile and force) feedback system provides sense of touch during cardiovascular interventions recreating palpable, real-time biophysical events and physiologic information and enables operators to react to critical cardiovascular signals with minimal delay relative to visual motor reaction time to simple display data. SUMMARY: We describe a proprietary haptic (tactile and force) feedback system that provides sense of touch during cardiovascular interventions recreating palpable, real-time biophysical events and physiologic information.
Subject(s)
Atrial Fibrillation/surgery , Cardiac Catheterization/instrumentation , Cardiac Catheters , Catheter Ablation/instrumentation , Feedback, Sensory , Touch Perception , Touch , Transducers, Pressure , Animals , Atrial Fibrillation/diagnostic imaging , Atrial Fibrillation/physiopathology , Cardiac Catheterization/adverse effects , Catheter Ablation/adverse effects , Chickens , Equipment Design , Female , Humans , Male , Materials Testing , Middle Aged , Models, Animal , Motor Skills , Reaction Time , Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted , Sus scrofa , Time FactorsABSTRACT
The determination of myocardial perfusion and myocardial viability has prognostic and therapeutic implications, particularly in the current era of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and thrombolytic therapy. Several modes of investigation, including positron emission tomography, thallium-201 scintigraphy, and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging are used to differentiate viable from nonviable myocardium. Though these noninvasive tests are useful diagnostic modalities, they are expensive, time consuming, and too cumbersome to be used in the acute setting. Expeditious distinction between viable and nonviable myocardium, during acute coronary syndromes, is of great importance since reperfusion can minimize the extent of ischemic injury and infarction. An expanding body of evidence confirms that ultrasonic tissue characterization has great potential to become a practical bedside diagnostic tool in the search for salvageable myocardium. Further clinical investigative studies would help accomplish a better understanding of the complex interaction between ultrasound and myocardium. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Volume 13, July 1996)
