Albation catheters
First Claim
1. A catheter device comprising:
- a catheter shaft constructed for insertion into a body of a living being;
an inflatable balloon mounted on a distal portion of said catheter shaft, said catheter shaft and said balloon being sized and constructed to permit said distal portion of said catheter shaft to be inserted into said body while said balloon is deflated and to permit said balloon to be filled with a fluid inside said body;
a heating device mounted on said distal portion of said catheter shaft and constructed to cause a large area of tissue in contact with said balloon while said balloon is inflated to be heated;
an electrode, distinct from said heating device, located on a distal portion of said catheter device and configured to provide discrete localized ablation of small areas of tissue; and
a control circuit connected to said electrode and arranged to apply radio-frequency electrical current to said electrode sufficient to enable said electrode to ablate tissue when said electrode is in contact with said tissue.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A balloon catheter is provided that includes a catheter shaft constructed for insertion into a blood vessel, an inflatable balloon mounted on a distal portion of the catheter shaft, a heating device mounted on the distal portion of the catheter arranged for heating tissue in contact with the balloon while the balloon is inflated, and an ablation electrode. The catheter shaft and the balloon are sized and constructed to permit the distal portion of the catheter shaft to be inserted into an atrium or ventricle of a heart while the balloon is deflated. The distal portion of the catheter is positioned within the atrium or ventricle and adjacent to a wall of the atrium or ventricle. The balloon is inflated with fluid while the balloon is within the atrium or ventricle, and while the balloon is inflated it is engaged in direct contact with a wall of the atrium or ventricle. Tissue surrounding the balloon is heated through use of the heating device while the balloon is inflated. In one embodiment the balloon disposed is annularly around a distal tip of the catheter shaft, and the electrode is located on the distal tip of the catheter for directly contacting tissue while the balloon is pressed against the tissue in an axial direction. In other embodiments, a suction port is located at the distal tip of the catheter, and a tissue-engagement device surrounds the distal port and is constructed to engage tissue with suction when the port is placed adjacent to the tissue.
389 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A catheter device comprising:
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a catheter shaft constructed for insertion into a body of a living being; an inflatable balloon mounted on a distal portion of said catheter shaft, said catheter shaft and said balloon being sized and constructed to permit said distal portion of said catheter shaft to be inserted into said body while said balloon is deflated and to permit said balloon to be filled with a fluid inside said body; a heating device mounted on said distal portion of said catheter shaft and constructed to cause a large area of tissue in contact with said balloon while said balloon is inflated to be heated; an electrode, distinct from said heating device, located on a distal portion of said catheter device and configured to provide discrete localized ablation of small areas of tissue; and a control circuit connected to said electrode and arranged to apply radio-frequency electrical current to said electrode sufficient to enable said electrode to ablate tissue when said electrode is in contact with said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A catheter device, comprising:
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a catheter shaft constructed for insertion into a body of a living being; an inflatable balloon mounted on a distal portion of said catheter shaft, said catheter shaft and said balloon being sized and constructed to permit said distal portion of said catheter shaft to be inserted into said body while said balloon is deflated and to permit said balloon to be filled with a fluid inside said body, said balloon being disposed annularly around a distal tip of said catheter shaft and being constructed to extend beyond said distal tip and to be pressed against tissue in an axial direction when inflated; a heating device mounted on said distal portion of said catheter shaft and constructed to cause tissue in contact with said balloon while said balloon is inflated to be heated; and an electrode located on a distal tip of said catheter device, said electrode being positioned to be in direct contact with tissue while said balloon is pressed against said tissue in an axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A catheter device, comprising,
a catheter shaft constructed for insertion into a body of a living being, said catheter shaft having a distal port and having a lumen extending longitudinally through said catheter shaft for coupling a proximal source of suction to said distal port; -
an electrode located on a distal portion of said catheter device; a tissue-engagement device surrounding said distal port and constructed to engage tissue with suction when said port is placed adjacent to said tissue and suction is applied to said lumen, said tissue-engagement device being constructed to cause said distal portion of said catheter shaft to be held in a fixed position relative to said tissue while said electrode is placed in contact with an internal body structure to reduce likelihood of said electrode being moved from said ablation site. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification