Force sensing technologies for catheter ablation procedures

Cardiac Arrhythmia, a condition of abnormal activation and conduction of electrical impulses in the heart is observed in a large proportion of the world population. Radio frequency (RF) ablation catheters have revolutionized the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias. Over the years, researchers have been extensively working towards developing a more promising catheter technology that ensures definitive treatment. Since RF energy is based on the principle of resistive heating, to optimize effective lesion formation, a catheter to adequately sense tissue contact force becomes vital. The review focuses on state-of-the-art advancement in force sensors, design specification and their need for interfacing with cardiac catheters. Minimally invasive medical procedures for cardiac ablation followed by various controlling methods used for providing quality lesion have been overviewed. Several design prototypes and variants of force sensors that can potentially be integrated with ablation catheters are reviewed with their sensing principles and implementation.