Electro-coagulation and ablation and other electrotherapeutic treatments of body tissue
First Claim
1. An electro-coagulation constructed for passage into a living body to perform therapy on a selected region of body tissue, said catheter comprisinga flexible, pushable, elongated catheter body of braided construction having proximal and distal portions terminating respectively at proximal and distal ends defining a tube-receiving lumen having a length that extends from the proximal end of said catheter body to the distal end of said catheter body, said length being selected to perform therapy on selected regions of body tissue within the gastrointestinal tract or the esophagus of a patient while the proximal end of said catheter body remains outside the patient,an RF electrocoagulation electrode coupled to the distal portion of said catheter body, said electrode being connected to a respective conductor extending within said catheter body,a retractable, flexible hollow tube having a tissue-penetrable needle-form distal end and having a proximal end and extending within said tube-receiving lumen and along the entire length thereof, said flexible hollow tube having a fluid passage therethrough for introducing a fluid into the tissue in the selected region, said flexible hollow tube being selectively slidable within said tube-receiving lumen of said catheter body to cause said needle-form distal end of said flexible tube to be projectable from and retractable into the distal end of said catheter body by actuation force applied to the proximal end of said flexible hollow tube, andmeans for remotely applying actuation force to the proximal end of said flexible hollow tube to cause said needle-form distal end of said flexible hollow tube to project from the distal end of said catheter body for penetration of tissue within the gastrointestinal tract or esophagus of the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter includes a flexible elongated catheter body that defines a needle-receiving, or probe-receiving, lumen, a retractable tissue-penetrable needle, or probe, and an electrode mounted on the distal portion of the catheter body. The needle provides a fluid passage for introducing fluid into tissue to permit the introduction of sclerotic agents for enhancing electrocoagulation of the tissue, heat-responsive drugs for improving the bonding to tissue surfaces, or vaso-constrictor drugs. The probe can also have a passage for fluid. The electrode can provide bipolar electro-coagulation of tissue in combination with an additional electrode mounted on the catheter body, or alternatively, the electrode can be employed in combination with either the needle or probe to establish a bipolar electro-coagulation path through tissue. The needle, or probe, in combination with an external electrode can be used to provide unipolar electro-coagulation, or ablation. In certain instances, the electrode can be used to provide a mapping function inside cardiac chambers.
1669 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An electro-coagulation constructed for passage into a living body to perform therapy on a selected region of body tissue, said catheter comprising
a flexible, pushable, elongated catheter body of braided construction having proximal and distal portions terminating respectively at proximal and distal ends defining a tube-receiving lumen having a length that extends from the proximal end of said catheter body to the distal end of said catheter body, said length being selected to perform therapy on selected regions of body tissue within the gastrointestinal tract or the esophagus of a patient while the proximal end of said catheter body remains outside the patient, an RF electrocoagulation electrode coupled to the distal portion of said catheter body, said electrode being connected to a respective conductor extending within said catheter body, a retractable, flexible hollow tube having a tissue-penetrable needle-form distal end and having a proximal end and extending within said tube-receiving lumen and along the entire length thereof, said flexible hollow tube having a fluid passage therethrough for introducing a fluid into the tissue in the selected region, said flexible hollow tube being selectively slidable within said tube-receiving lumen of said catheter body to cause said needle-form distal end of said flexible tube to be projectable from and retractable into the distal end of said catheter body by actuation force applied to the proximal end of said flexible hollow tube, and means for remotely applying actuation force to the proximal end of said flexible hollow tube to cause said needle-form distal end of said flexible hollow tube to project from the distal end of said catheter body for penetration of tissue within the gastrointestinal tract or esophagus of the patient.
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15. A method of electro-coagulating a selected region of body tissue comprising the steps of
inserting into a living body a bipolar electro-coagulation catheter having proximal and distal portions respectively terminating at proximal and distal ends to the site of the selected region, said catheter comprising a flexible, pushable, elongated catheter body of braided construction having proximal and distal portions terminating respectively at proximal and distal ends defining a tube-receiving lumen having a length that extends from the proximal end of said catheter body to the distal end of said catheter body, said length being selected to perform therapy on selected regions of body tissue within the gastrointestinal tract or the esophagus of a patient while the proximal end of said catheter body remains outside the patient, first and second RF electrocoagulation electrodes coupled to the distal portion of said catheter body, said electrodes being connected to respective conductors extending within said catheter body, and a retractable, flexible hollow tube having a tissue-penetrable needle-form distal end and having a proximal end and extending within said tube-receiving lumen and along the entire length thereof, said flexible hollow tube having a fluid passage therethrough for introducing a fluid into the tissue in the selected region, said flexible hollow tube being selectively slidable within said tube-receiving lumen of said catheter body to cause said needle-form distal end of said flexible tube to be projectable from and retractable into the distal end of said catheter body by actuation force applied to the proximal end of said flexible hollow tube, inserting said needle-form distal end of said flexible hollow tube into tissue in the selected region, contacting said first and second electrodes with the surface of tissue in the selected region, introducing a fluid into tissue in the selected region through said flexible hollow tube and needle-form distal end, and applying RF coagulation voltage between said first and second electrodes to effect bipolar electro-coagulation of the selected region of body tissue.
Specification