Articulating catheter tip with wedge-cuts
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An articulating catheter for cryoablating target tissue, the target tissue having a curved surface at a treatment site, said catheter comprising:
- an elongated, thermally conductive tube having an outer surface and formed with a plurality of transverse notches, with each said notch establishing opposed first and second edges;
means for advancing said tube to the treatment site;
means for reconfiguring said tube from a first configuration wherein said tube is substantially cylindrical and defines a longitudinal axis and each edge is inclined relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said axis, to a second configuration wherein each said first edge is juxtaposed with a respective said second edge to shape at least a portion of the outer surface of said tube to substantially conform with the surface of the target tissue; and
means for cooling said tube to cryoablate the target tissue.
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Abstract
An articulating catheter for cryoablating target tissue having a curved surface includes an elongated, thermally conductive tube that has an outer surface and is formed with a plurality of transverse notches. The notches allow the tube to be reconfigurable between a first configuration wherein said tube is substantially cylindrical and a second configuration in which at least a portion of the outer surface of the tube is shaped to substantially conform with the surface of the target tissue.
77 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An articulating catheter for cryoablating target tissue, the target tissue having a curved surface at a treatment site, said catheter comprising:
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an elongated, thermally conductive tube having an outer surface and formed with a plurality of transverse notches, with each said notch establishing opposed first and second edges;
means for advancing said tube to the treatment site;
means for reconfiguring said tube from a first configuration wherein said tube is substantially cylindrical and defines a longitudinal axis and each edge is inclined relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said axis, to a second configuration wherein each said first edge is juxtaposed with a respective said second edge to shape at least a portion of the outer surface of said tube to substantially conform with the surface of the target tissue; and
means for cooling said tube to cryoablate the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A reshapeable contact segment for use in a catheter for cryoablating target tissue having a curved surface, said contact segment comprising:
an elongated, thermally conductive tube having an outer surface and formed with a plurality of transverse notches, with each said notch establishing opposed first and second edges, wherein said tube is reshapeable between a first cylindrical configuration in which each edge is inclined relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis defined by the cylindrical tube, and a second configuration in which each said first edge is juxtaposed with a respective said second edge to shape at least a portion of the outer surface of said tube to substantially conform with the surface of the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for cryoablating target tissue, the target tissue having a curved surface at a treatment site, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an elongated, thermally conductive tube having an outer surface and formed with a plurality of transverse notches, with each said notch establishing opposed first and second edges;
configuring said tube into a first configuration wherein said tube is substantially cylindrical and defines a longitudinal axis and each edge is inclined relative to a plane that is substantially perpendicular to said axis, advancing said tube to the treatment site;
configuring said tube into a second configuration wherein each said first edge is juxtaposed with a respective said second edge to shape at least a portion of the outer surface of said tube to substantially conform with the surface of the target tissue;
contacting the target tissue with said tube; and
cooling said tube to cryoablate the target tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification