Catheter for mapping and ablation and method therefor
First Claim
1. A method of mapping electrical signals and ablating foci at a patient site using a multipolar electrode catheter having a distal end and an opposite proximal end, a plurality of electrodes mounted adjacent said distal end, said electrodes being movable from a retracted to an expanded position, comprising the steps of:
- (a) moving said electrodes to an expanded position from said retracted position;
(b) positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with said site; and
(c) monitoring signals from said electrodes.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A multipolar electrode catheter includes a central and four side electrodes at its distal end. The catheter is actuable from a retracted or collapsed mode wherein the side electrodes are arranged around the tubular catheter outer surface to an expanded mode. A plurality of longitudinal slits in the catheter wall enable radial expansion of the distal end so that the side electrodes are moved to an operative position radially outward from their position in the retracted mode. In the expanded position, the side electrodes lie in the same plane and equally spaced from adjacent electrodes. Electrode leads connected to the electrodes enable the electrodes to be used both for mapping and ablation of endocardial sites.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of mapping electrical signals and ablating foci at a patient site using a multipolar electrode catheter having a distal end and an opposite proximal end, a plurality of electrodes mounted adjacent said distal end, said electrodes being movable from a retracted to an expanded position, comprising the steps of:
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(a) moving said electrodes to an expanded position from said retracted position; (b) positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with said site; and (c) monitoring signals from said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of mapping electrical signals at a patient site and ablating foci using a multipolar electrode catheter having a distal end and an opposite proximal end, and a plurality of electrodes mounted adjacent to said distal end, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with said site; (b) monitoring signals from said electrodes; (c) re-positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with another site; (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until the earliest site with respect to a reference point is determined, thereby locating the foci; (e) discharging energy through at least one of said electrodes so as to ablate said foci, wherein said step of discharging includes passing energy from said at least one electrode to at least one other of said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of mapping electrical signals at a patient site and ablating foci using a multipolar electrode catheter having a distal end and an opposite proximal end, and a plurality of electrodes mounted adjacent to said distal end, comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with said site; (b) monitoring signals from said electrodes; (c) re-positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with another site; and (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) until the earliest site with respect to a reference point is determined, thereby locating the foci, further dividing the site into four quadrants, and performing steps (a) through (d) in successive quadrants. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. A method of mapping electrical signals at a patient site and ablating foci using a multipolar electrode catheter having a distal end and an opposite proximal end, and a plurality of electrodes mounted adjacent to said distal end comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning said distal end of said catheter so that said electrodes are in contacting relation with said site in a first quadrant; (b) monitoring a plurality of electrograms so as to determine the earliest deflection for use as a reference; (c) moving said distal end to a second quadrant; (d) monitoring said plurality of electrograms to determine the earliest deflection; (e) moving said distal end to a third quadrant; (f) monitoring said plurality of electrograms to determine the earliest deflection; (g) moving said distal end to a fourth quadrant; (h) monitoring said distal end to determine the earliest deflection; (i) moving the distal end to the quadrant that demonstrated the earliest deflection; (j) repeating steps (a) through (i) within said quadrant that demonstrated the earliest deflection until the foci is precisely determined. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification