ROBOTIC ABLATION CATHETER
First Claim
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1. An ablation instrument system, comprising:
- a. a robotically-steerable sheath having proximal and distal ends and defining a working lumen between said ends; and
b. a necked-down ablation catheter having a distal ablation tip, a proximal end, and a tubular body coupling the distal ablation tip and the proximal end;
wherein at least a portion of the tubular body is slideably disposed through the working lumen of the robotically-steerable sheath; and
wherein the distal ablation tip has an outer diameter configured to prevent such tip from fitting into the working lumen of the sheath.
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Abstract
Assemblies, systems, and methods related to remotely-steerable ablation procedures are described. A necked-down ablation catheter may be coupled within a working lumen of a robotically-steerable sheath configured to be driveably coupled to an electromechanical instrument driver. The ablation catheter may be an irrigated ablation catheter having an irrigation fluid reservoir at its distal tip. The outer diameter of the distal portion of the ablation catheter is generally larger than that of the more proximal aspects due, in part, to the fact that the proximal aspects are designed to fit through a relatively low-profile steerable sheath.
183 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An ablation instrument system, comprising:
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a. a robotically-steerable sheath having proximal and distal ends and defining a working lumen between said ends; and b. a necked-down ablation catheter having a distal ablation tip, a proximal end, and a tubular body coupling the distal ablation tip and the proximal end; wherein at least a portion of the tubular body is slideably disposed through the working lumen of the robotically-steerable sheath; and
wherein the distal ablation tip has an outer diameter configured to prevent such tip from fitting into the working lumen of the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of conducting a minimally invasive ablation procedure, comprising:
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a. coupling a necked-down ablation catheter through a working lumen of a robotically-steerable sheath by threading a proximal end of the ablation catheter into the lumen through a distal end of the sheath and continuing to advance the ablation catheter relative to the sheath until the proximal end of the ablation catheter at least partially emerges from a proximal end of the sheath; b. connecting an RF energy source and an irrigation fluid source to the proximal end of the ablation catheter; c. coupling at least the robotically-steerable sheath to an electromechanical instrument driver; d. inserting at least the distal ends of the coupled ablation catheter and robotically-steerable sheath into a patient; and e. utilizing the electromechanical instrument driver to navigate the distal end of the sheath and thereby navigate the distal end of the ablation catheter. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method, comprising:
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a. inserting a distal portion of an elongate instrument into a patient'"'"'s body, the elongate instrument comprising a necked down ablation catheter having a distal ablation tip, a proximal end, and a tubular body coupling the distal ablation tip and the proximal end, wherein at least a portion of the tubular body is slideably disposed through the working lumen of a robotically-steerable sheath and the outer diameter of the distal ablation tip is greater than the inner diameter of the sheath defining the working lumen; and b. dithering the elongate instrument relative to the sheath. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification