EXPANDABLE VEIN LIGATOR CATHETER HAVING MULTIPLE ELECTRODE LEADS, AND METHOD
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter includes a plurality of primary leads to deliver energy for ligating a hollow anatomical structure. Each of the primary leads includes an electrode located at the working end of the catheter. Separation is maintained between the primary leads such that each primary lead can individually receive power of selected polarity. The primary leads are constructed to expand outwardly to place the electrodes into apposition with an anatomical structure. High frequency energy can be applied from the leads to create a heating effect in the surrounding tissue of the anatomical structure. The diameter of the hollow anatomical structure is reduced by the heating effect, and the electrodes of the primary leads are moved closer to one another. Where the hollow anatomical structure is a vein, energy is applied until the diameter of the vein is reduced to the point where the vein is occluded. In one embodiment, a secondary lead is surrounded by the primary leads, and extends beyond the primary leads. The secondary lead includes an electrode at the working end of the catheter. The secondary lead can have a polarity opposite to the polarity of the primary leads in a bipolar configuration. The polarity of the leads can be switched and the catheter can be moved during treatment to ligate an extended length of the vein. The catheter can include a lumen to accommodate a guide wire or to allow fluid delivery.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1-14. -14. (canceled)
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15. A method of treating a vein, the method comprising:
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introducing an elongate energy delivery device into a vein having an inner wall; pre-shaping the vein by moving the inner wall of the vein toward a distal portion of the energy delivery device, independently of the energy delivery device; applying energy from the distal portion of the energy delivery device to the vein to create a thermal effect in the vein so as to effectively occlude the vein; moving the energy delivery device along the vein during the application of energy to form an effective occlusion along the area of the vein where the energy delivery device is moved during the application of energy. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of treating a vein, the method comprising:
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inserting an elongate energy delivery device into a lumen of the vein and advancing the elongate energy delivery device along the lumen to a treatment site; narrowing the vein at the treatment site while the energy delivery device is present, independently of the energy delivery device; applying energy from the energy delivery device to the vein to create a thermal effect in the vein so as to occlude the vein; retracting the energy delivery device along the vein during the application of energy to form an occlusion along the area of the vein where the energy delivery device is retracted during the application of energy. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification