CONTROLLED RF ENERGY IN A MULTI-ELECTRODE CATHETER
First Claim
1. A system for preventing unintended tissue damage from the delivery of bipolar radiofrequency energy, the system comprising:
- an ablation device including a plurality of electrodes; and
a radiofrequency energy delivery unit, the delivery unit being in electrical communication with each of the plurality of electrodes;
the energy delivery unit being programmed to transmit unipolar radiofrequency energy to each of the plurality of electrodes, the transmission of radiofrequency energy to each of the plurality of electrodes being started at the same time, being in phase, and having the same voltage.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for preventing unintended tissue damage from the delivery of unintended bipolar radiofrequency energy. The system may include a multi-electrode ablation device and an RF delivery unit. The RF delivery unit may transmit unipolar energy to the plurality of electrodes, the energy being in phase, with all electrodes delivering the same voltage and being activated at the same time to deliver no bipolar energy. Additionally or alternatively, the RF delivery unit may transmit bipolar energy to the electrodes. Here, voltage differences between each pair of adjacent electrodes may be monitored and the level of bipolar energy being delivered may be calculated. The voltage of energy delivered to at least one electrode in each adjacent electrode pair may be adjusted if the amount of delivered bipolar energy exceeds a safety threshold.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for preventing unintended tissue damage from the delivery of bipolar radiofrequency energy, the system comprising:
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an ablation device including a plurality of electrodes; and a radiofrequency energy delivery unit, the delivery unit being in electrical communication with each of the plurality of electrodes; the energy delivery unit being programmed to transmit unipolar radiofrequency energy to each of the plurality of electrodes, the transmission of radiofrequency energy to each of the plurality of electrodes being started at the same time, being in phase, and having the same voltage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for preventing unintended tissue damage from the delivery of bipolar radiofrequency energy, the system comprising:
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an ablation device including a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes having at least one adjacent electrode; a radiofrequency energy delivery unit in electrical communication with each of the plurality of electrodes, the radiofrequency energy delivery unit being configured to deliver radiofrequency energy including radiofrequency energy waves; and a return electrode in electrical communication with the delivery unit, the radiofrequency energy delivery unit being programmable to; transmit unipolar radiofrequency energy to the plurality of electrodes when the radiofrequency energy transmitted to each of the plurality of electrodes is in phase, has the same voltage, and when the energy delivery unit starts the delivery of radiofrequency energy to each of the plurality of electrodes simultaneously; transmit bipolar radiofrequency energy to the plurality of electrodes when the radiofrequency waves are out of phase; monitor voltage differences between each pair of adjacent electrodes; and adjust at least one electrode in a pair of electrodes when the radiofrequency energy delivery unit determines that the voltage difference between the pair of electrodes indicates that bipolar energy is being delivered at a level that exceeds a predetermined safety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for preventing unintended tissue damage from the delivery of bipolar radiofrequency energy, the system comprising:
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an ablation device including a plurality of electrodes, each of the plurality of electrodes having at least one adjacent electrode; and a radiofrequency energy delivery unit in electrical communication with each of the plurality of electrodes, the radiofrequency energy delivery unit being configured to deliver radiofrequency energy including radiofrequency energy waves, the radiofrequency energy delivery unit being programmed to; monitor voltage differences between each pair of adjacent electrodes; and adjust at least one electrode in a pair of electrodes when the radiofrequency energy delivery unit determines that the voltage difference between the pair of electrodes indicates that bipolar energy is being delivered at a level that exceeds a predetermined safety threshold. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method for preventing unintended tissue damage, the method comprising:
transmitting unipolar radiofrequency energy to a plurality of electrodes of a multi-electrode medical device, the radiofrequency energy being transmitted coherently to each of the plurality of electrodes, the radiofrequency transmitted to each of the plurality of electrodes being in phase with the radiofrequency energy delivered to the other of the plurality of electrodes, and the radiofrequency energy transmitted to each of the plurality of electrodes having the same voltage. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
Specification