MEDICAL DEVICE FOR TISSUE ABLATION

• US 20100004661A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hopitaux Universitaires De Geneve
• Original Assignee: Hopitaux Universitaires De Geneve
• Inventors: Verin, Vitali, Sandtner, Jan
• Granted Patent: US 8,048,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/129
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00642 with feedback, i.e. closed loop control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4233 oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0127 Magnetic means; Magnetic markers

Abstract

A medical device for ablating tissues within a heart chamber comprising a guiding member intended to be introduced in the oesophagus of the patient and an ablating member comprising an ablation electrode mounted at the distal end or tip of catheter. Both the head of the guiding member and the tip of the ablating member are magnetised and can enter into magnetic coupling when their distal ends are brought in close contact. Once the magnetic coupling is achieved, the tip of the ablating member is guided by moving the guiding member. The guiding member can include sensors enabling to monitor physiological parameters during the intervention.

Claims

1. Medical device for performing tissue ablation in a heart chamber characterized in that it comprises a guiding member intended to be introduced by natural passageways in a first region of the human body, said guiding member having a distal end comprising a head incorporating at least one magnet as well as temperature sensor;

the medical device further comprising an ablating member to intended to be introduced in a heart chamber having a distal tip comprising at least one ablation means as well as at least one magnet for allowing magnetic coupling and interaction with the magnet of the guiding member through human tissues.

2. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the members comprises a proximal end and at least one lumen extending between the proximal and the distal ends as well as a steering mechanism actuated by a handle for moving the distal head.

3. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the guiding member is configured to be introduced in the oesophagus of the patient and the ablating member bearing the ablation tip in the left atrium of the heart.

4. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the head of the guiding member is shaped to present at least a flat surface intended to be in contact with the inner wall of the oesophagus.

5. Medical device according to claim 1, where the head of the guiding member comprises a recess adapted to dock the distal ablating tip of the ablating member.

6. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the head of the guiding member, at its side in contact with the tissues, further comprises a force/pressure sensor located in the vicinity of the temperature sensor.

7. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the head of the guiding members comprises an arrangement of movable magnets arranged in such a way that the amplitude of the magnetic attraction force between the head and the tip of the ablating member can be adjusted and controlled.

8. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the ablating tip comprises a spherical recess and a ball free to rotate inside the recess and means for measuring the displacement of the ball and, hence, the displacement of the ablating tip.

9. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the guiding member comprises means for inducing a back and forth or a rotational movement of the head.

10. Medical device according to claim 1, wherein the head of the ablating tip 14 presents an ovoid shape.

11. Medical device according to claim 10, characterised in that the ablating tip comprises an helically shaped ridge on its periphery.

12. A method of guiding the tip of an ablating member during cardiac tissue ablation in a heart chamber characterised in that it comprises the following steps:

inserting and placing the tip of an ablating member mounted at the distal end of a catheter into a heart chamber

inserting the distal head of a guiding member into the oesophagus of the patient or other location in the vicinity of the heart chamber to be treated

having the head of the guiding member and the tip of the ablating member entering into magnetic coupling

guiding the ablation tip along predetermined trajectories by moving only the head of the guiding member

applying energy to the tip of the ablating member to perform cardiac tissue ablation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of monitoring the temperature of the tissue with the temperature sensor mounted at the head of the guiding member and adapting the energy delivered to the ablating tip according to the temperature measured.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of monitoring the attraction force between the tip of the ablating member and the head of the guiding member.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the measureing of the displacement of the ablating tip.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising applying a movement either rotational or back and forth to the head of the guiding member.