Apparatus and method for diagnosis and therapy of electrophysiological disease
First Claim
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1. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
- a first probe including a first contact surface, said first contact surface having a first surface area configured to contact tissue, and a first ablating element on said first contact surface, said first ablating element having a second surface area less than said first surface area; and
a second probe including a second contact surface, said second contact surface having a third surface area configured to contact tissue, and a second ablating element on said second contact surface, said second ablating element having a fourth surface area less than said third surface area, wherein said first and second ablating elements are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation.
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Abstract
The invention provides apparatus and methods for mapping conduction pathways and creating lesions in the heart wall for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. The apparatus may include at least one epicardial ablation probe having a plurality of electrodes for creating a lesion. The apparatus and method facilitate the formation of a lesion which electrically isolates the pulmonary veins from the surrounding myocardium.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
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a first probe including a first contact surface, said first contact surface having a first surface area configured to contact tissue, and a first ablating element on said first contact surface, said first ablating element having a second surface area less than said first surface area; and
a second probe including a second contact surface, said second contact surface having a third surface area configured to contact tissue, and a second ablating element on said second contact surface, said second ablating element having a fourth surface area less than said third surface area, wherein said first and second ablating elements are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
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a first probe;
a second probe; and
a plurality of ablating elements on each of said first and second probes, wherein at least some of said plurality of ablating elements are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation engaging tissue to be ablated, and wherein said plurality of ablating elements are spaced apart a distance selected to create a substantially continuous lesion. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
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a probe having at least one ablating element;
an articulated section coupled to a proximal end of said probe; and
an actuator located at a control end of said device and coupled to said articulated section and adapted to control movement of said probe. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A medical device for ablating tissue, comprising:
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a shaft structure having a distal end;
an articulated section having a first end and a second end; and
a cooling segment, wherein said first end of the articulated section is connected to said shaft structure distal end, and said second end of said articulated section is connected to said cooling segment so that said shaft structure distal end and said cooling segment can be laterally juxtaposed, substantially parallel to each other in a single plane. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, comprising:
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providing a tissue ablation device having a first probe, a second probe, and a plurality of ablating elements on each of the first and second probes;
bringing at least some of the plurality of ablating elements into substantially opposing relation engaging tissue to be ablated; and
supplying ablation energy to the tissue via at least some of the plurality of ablating elements. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, comprising:
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providing a tissue ablation device, comprising;
a shaft structure having a distal end;
an articulated section having a first end and a second end; and
an ablating segment, wherein the first end of the articulated section is connected to the shaft structure distal end, and the second and of the articulated section is connected to the ablating segment so that the shaft structure distal end and the ablating segment can be laterally juxtaposed, substantially parallel to each other in a single plane;
bringing the ablating segment into lateral juxtaposition with the shaft structure distal end about tissue to be ablated; and
supplying ablating energy to the tissue via the ablating segment. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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38. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, comprising:
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providing a probe having an expandable balloon element thereon;
bringing the expandable balloon element into contact with tissue to be ablated; and
filling the expandable balloon element with a cryogenic fluid. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, comprising:
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providing a tissue ablation device having a first probe, a second probe, and an ablating element on one of the first and second probes;
bringing the first and second probe into substantially opposing relation engaging tissue to be ablated with the ablating element in contact with the tissue; and
supplying ablating energy to the tissue via the ablating element. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42)
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43. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
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a first flexible probe;
a second flexible probe; and
at least one ablating element on at least one of the first flexible probe and the second flexible probe, wherein the first flexible probe and the second flexible probe are operable to be brought into substantially opposing relation with each other about tissue to be ablated. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A device for ablating tissue, the device comprising:
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an elongate shaft having a distal end;
a first flexible medical device extending from the distal end of the elongate shaft; and
a second flexible medical device extending from the distal end of the elongate shaft, wherein at least one of the first flexible medical device and the second flexible medical device includes an ablating surface, and wherein the first flexible medical device and the second flexible medical device are configured to conform to a surface of tissue to be ablated. - View Dependent Claims (49)
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50. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia, comprising:
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providing a medical device including an elongate shaft having a distal end, a first flexible member having a first ablation surface extending from the distal end, and a second flexible member having a second ablation surface extending from the distal end;
shaping the first flexible member to conform to a first surface of cardiac tissue;
shaping the second flexible member to conform to a second surface of cardiac tissue, wherein the second surface of cardiac tissue is substantially opposing the first surface of cardiac tissue;
bringing the first flexible member into contact with the first surface of cardiac tissue;
bringing the second flexible member into contact with the second surface of cardiac tissue in substantially opposing relation to the first flexible member; and
supplying ablation energy to the tissue via at least one of the first ablation surface and the second ablation surface. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52)
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Specification