Method and apparatus for ablation
First Claim
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1. An ablation catheter system, comprising:
- an elongated catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal longitudinal lumen;
a hollow helical needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter body and having an internal lumen coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body; and
ablation fluid delivery means coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body for delivering an ablation fluid under pressure to said internal lumen of said catheter body.
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Abstract
An ablation catheter and a method of performing cardiac ablation using alcohol or other ablating agents. The catheter is provided with a helical hollow needle, which is screwed into heart tissue, after which the ablating agent is delivered through the needle. Prior to ablation, the catheter may be employed to locate an appropriate ablation site or to assess the suitability of an identified ablation site by injection of a exitability reducing agent such as lidocaine, through the hollow needle, followed by a determination of whether the arrhythmia intended to be treated as temporarily terminated.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An ablation catheter system, comprising:
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an elongated catheter body having a proximal end, a distal end and an internal longitudinal lumen; a hollow helical needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter body and having an internal lumen coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body; and ablation fluid delivery means coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter body for delivering an ablation fluid under pressure to said internal lumen of said catheter body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of catheter ablation, comprising:
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advancing an elongated catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal longitudinal lumen and a helical needle having an internal longitudinal lumen mounted to the proximal end of said catheter with the internal lumen of said needle coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter, to a desired site within a heart; screwing said helical needle into heart tissue at said desired site; and delivering ablation fluid through the internal lumen of said catheter to said hollow needle under pressure. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17)
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14. A method of catheter ablation, comprising:
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advancing an elongated catheter having a proximal end a distal end, an internal longitudinal lumen and a hollow helical needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter and coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter to a desired site within a heart; screwing said helical needle into heart tissue at said desired site; and delivering ablation fluid through the internal lumen of said catheter to said hollow needle under pressure wherein said hollow needle is conductive, wherein said catheter comprises a longitudinally extending electrical conductor coupled to said hollow needle, and further comprising the step of connecting said electrical conductor to ECG monitoring apparatus.
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18. A method of determining a proper location for cardiac ablation, comprising:
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advancing an elongated catheter having a proximal end, a distal end, an internal longitudinal lumen and a hollow needle mounted to the proximal end of said catheter body and coupled to the internal lumen of said catheter to a desired site within a heart; inserting said needle into heart tissue at said desired site; and delivering an excitability reducing agent in fluid form through the internal lumen of said catheter to said hollow needle; and
monitoring the response of said tissue to said agent. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification