Articulated unidirectional microwave antenna systems for cardiac ablation
First Claim
1. A unidirectional microwave ablation antenna comprisinga main conductor,a ground plane conductor having a width substantially greater than its thickness and being positioned with is widest dimension facing said main conductor, anda dielectric material sandwiched between the main conductor and the ground plane conductor to restrict the propagation of the electromagnetic field by the main conductor in a single direction radially away from the dielectric material.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved assembly for steering and orienting a functional element at the distal end of a catheter tube holds the functional element with its major axis aligned with the axis of the catheter tube for convenient steering to a tissue site. The mechanism can also pivot the functional element in response to an external force to orient the major axis of the functional element generally parallel to the plane of the tissue site, without bending the catheter tube.
-
Citations
9 Claims
-
1. A unidirectional microwave ablation antenna comprising
a main conductor, a ground plane conductor having a width substantially greater than its thickness and being positioned with is widest dimension facing said main conductor, and a dielectric material sandwiched between the main conductor and the ground plane conductor to restrict the propagation of the electromagnetic field by the main conductor in a single direction radially away from the dielectric material.
-
8. A unidirection microwave ablation antenna assembly comprising
an antenna element including a main conductor having a major axis, a ground plane conductor, and a dielectric material having a width substantially greater than its thickness and being positioned with its widest dimension facing said main conductor sandwiched between the main conductor and the ground plane conductor to restrict the propagation of the electromagnetic field by the main conductor in a single direction radially of the major axis and away from the dielectric material, and means for supporting the antenna element at the distal end of a catheter tube and including means for holding the antenna element with its major axis aligned with the axis of the catheter tube for steering to a tissue site and means for pivoting the antenna element in response to an external force to orient the major axis of the antenna element generally parallel to the plane of the tissue site with the main conductor facing the tissue site.
Specification