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Tissue ablation apparatus and method

  • US 20030212394A1
  • Filed: 05/10/2002
  • Published: 11/13/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A tissue-ablation apparatus comprising:

  • (a) an elongate delivery device having a lumen terminating at a distal end, (b) a plurality of electrodes carried in said device for movement between retracted positions at which the electrodes are disposed within the device'"'"'s lumen, and deployed positions at which the electrodes are deployed from said distal end at a plurality of arcuate, laterally extending, angularly spaced positions, (i) each deployed electrode defining an individual-electrode ablation volume which is proximate that electrode when an RF current is initially applied to that electrode, with such deployed in tissue, and (ii) with continued application of RF current to the electrodes causing the individual-electrode ablation volumes to grow and merge with each other to form a combined-electrode ablation volume, (c) a plurality of elongate sensor elements carried in said device for movement between retracted positions at which the sensor elements are disposed within the device'"'"'s lumen, and deployed positions at which the sensor are deployed from said distal end at a plurality of angularly spaced positions within the volume corresponding to the combined-electrode ablation volume, and (d) a control device operatively connected to said electrodes and to said sensor elements for (i) supplying a RF power to said electrodes, with such deployed in tissue, to produce tissue ablation that advances from the individual-electrode ablation volumes to fill the combined-electrode ablation volume, and (ii) determining the extent of ablation in the region of the sensor elements, wherein the supply of RF power to said electrodes can be regulated to control the level and extent of tissue ablation throughout the combined-electrode ablation volume.

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