Catheter for RF ablation with cooled electrode
First Claim
1. In a catheter for radio frequency ablation with a cooled electrode for use in tissue having a surface, an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities, a metal conducting electrode secured to the distal extremity of the elongate member and having a chamber therein and adapted to make contact with the tissue, conductor means extending through the elongate member from the proximal to the distal extremity for supplying radio frequency energy to the electrode, said elongate member having a lumen in the distal extremity in communication with the chamber, cooling means disposed in said chamber and in contact with the electrode for dissipating heat created in the electrode by the application of radio frequency energy thereto, means for measuring the temperature of the tissue in contact with the electrode and means responsive to the temperature measured to control the amount of radio frequency energy supplied to the electrode so that temperature at the surface of the tissue does not exceed 50°
- C. and the temperature within the tissue does not exceed 90°
C. whereby deeper and wider lesions can be formed in the tissue than would be formed without the use of the cooling means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter for radio frequency ablation with a cooled electrode for use in tissue having a surface comprising an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities. A metal conducting electrode secured to the distal extremity of the elongate member and having a chamber therein. A conductor extends through the elongate member from the proximal to the distal extremity for supplying radio frequency energy to the electrode. The elongate member has a lumen in the distal extremity which is in communication with the chamber. A coolant is disposed in the chamber and in contact with the electrode for dissipating heat created in the electrode by the application of radio frequency energy thereto.
1258 Citations
11 Claims
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1. In a catheter for radio frequency ablation with a cooled electrode for use in tissue having a surface, an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities, a metal conducting electrode secured to the distal extremity of the elongate member and having a chamber therein and adapted to make contact with the tissue, conductor means extending through the elongate member from the proximal to the distal extremity for supplying radio frequency energy to the electrode, said elongate member having a lumen in the distal extremity in communication with the chamber, cooling means disposed in said chamber and in contact with the electrode for dissipating heat created in the electrode by the application of radio frequency energy thereto, means for measuring the temperature of the tissue in contact with the electrode and means responsive to the temperature measured to control the amount of radio frequency energy supplied to the electrode so that temperature at the surface of the tissue does not exceed 50°
- C. and the temperature within the tissue does not exceed 90°
C. whereby deeper and wider lesions can be formed in the tissue than would be formed without the use of the cooling means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- C. and the temperature within the tissue does not exceed 90°
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9. In a catheter for radio frequency ablation with a cooled electrode for use in tissue having a surface, an elongate member having proximal and distal extremities, a metal conducting electrode secured to the distal extremity of the elongate member and having a chamber therein, conductor means extending through the elongate member from the proximal to the distal extremity for supplying radio frequency energy to the electrode, said elongate member having a lumen in the distal extremity in communication with the chamber and cooling means disposed in said chamber and in contact with the electrode for dissipating heat created in the electrode by the application of radio frequency energy thereto, said elongate member being provided with an additional lumen extending into the chamber in the electrode, said cooling means including means for supplying a cooled liquid through the first named lumen into the chamber and means for withdrawing the cooled liquid from the chamber through the additional lumen.
- 10. In a catheter for radio frequency ablation with a cooled electrode for use with tissue in the wall of a heart forming a chamber having blood therein and having a surface, a flexible elongate member having proximal and distal extremities, a metal conducting electrode secured to the distal extremity of the flexible elongate member and having a chamber therein, conductor means extending through the elongate member from the proximal to the distal extremity for supplying radio frequency energy to the electrode, said flexible elongate member having a lumen in the distal extremity in communication with the chamber and cooling means disposed in said chamber and in contact with the electrode for dissipating heat created in the electrode by the application of radio frequency energy to the electrode, said cooling means including means for introducing a cooling liquid into the chamber and for withdrawing the cooling liquid from the chamber and means for adjusting the pressure of the liquid in the chamber so that the pressure therein approximates the pressure of the blood in the chamber of the heart in which the distal extremity of the flexible elongate member is disposed.
Specification