Ablation stent for treating atrial fibrillation

• US 20030018362A1
• Filed: 04/16/2002
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bowe, Wade A., Fellows, Chris, Wood, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,783 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/82 Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents stent-grafts for tubular structures of the body other than blood vessels A61F2/04; stent-grafts for blood vessels A61F2/07; instruments specially adapted for placement or removal of stents or stent-grafts A61F2/95; for closing wounds, or holding wounds closed A61B17/04 - A61B17/115; dilators A61M29/00

Abstract

An apparatus and method for treating atrial fibrillation with ablation therapy in which a stent is deployed within a pulmonary vein and tissue surrounding the stent is ablated with radiofrequency energy to stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium. The deployed stent can then be left in place to prevent stenosis of the vein as well as allowing repeat ablation procedures as needed.

Claims

1. A method for treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:

introducing a stent into the left atrium of a patient;

deploying the stent into a pulmonary vein;

applying radiofrequency energy to the deployed stent in order to ablate surrounding tissue and stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium; and

,

leaving the stent in place in order to prevent stenosis of the vein.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the stent is introduced by a stent catheter having a stent mounted at its distal end.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising inflating a balloon at the distal end of the stent catheter to expand the stent within a pulmonary vein.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting the radiofrequency energy into the surrounding tissue by means of a catheter making contact with the stent.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting the radiofrequency energy to the stent by an electrode mounted on the surface of the balloon.

6. The method of claim 1 where in t he stent acts as an electrode when radiofrequency energy is applied thereto so that tissue surrounding the stent is ablated and forms a circumferential lesion that interrupts a conduction pathway between the vein and the left atrium.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein radiofrequency energy is applied to electrodes mounted on the stent to thereby ablate tissue in contact with the electrodes.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the stent has one or more anchoring devices mounted thereon that serve to prevent dislodgment after the stent is deployed in a pulmonary vein.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising coating the stent with an anti-coagulant to prevent thrombus formation.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing one or more additional ablation procedures after the stent is deployed by applying radiofrequency energy to the deployed stent if a first ablation procedure did not produce satisfactory results.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising advancing the stent catheter transvenously into the left atrium through the atrial septum.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the balloon further comprises an electrode on the surface of the balloon for making contact with the deployed stent and transmitting energy thereto.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising one or more electrodes mounted on the stent for contacting surrounding tissue and producing an ablation lesion when energy is applied thereto.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the stent electrode is an annular electrode.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the stent electrode is a patch electrode.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the stent is constructed of an electrically conductive material and further wherein a dielectric coating is applied to the outer surface of the stent leaving a selected area exposed to serve as an electrode.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising one or more anchoring devices mounted on the surface of the stent to prevent dislodgement after the stent is deployed.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the stent is coated with an anti-coagulant to prevent thrombus formation.

12. An apparatus for treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:

a stent catheter having a stent mounted thereon for deployment in a pulmonary vein, the catheter including a balloon at its distal end for expanding the stent within a pulmonary vein; and

,

an electrode for transmitting radiofrequency energy to the deployed stent in order to ablate surrounding tissue and stop discharges from ectopic foci in the vein from reaching the left atrium.