Method for forming an electrophysiology catheter
First Claim
1. A method for forming an electrophysiology catheter with an electrode coating comprising the steps of:
- providing a catheter body having an elongated flexible tubular member with an outer surface having a proximal end and a distal end;
forming a coating of an electrically conductive material on said outer surface of said tubular member; and
removing at least one portion of said coating intermediate said proximal and distal ends so that at least two coated portions result that are electrically insulated from one another.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A catheter has an electrically conductive material coated, deposited, or otherwise formed directly on the outer surface of the catheter. Preferably, an outer electrode is formed by ion-beam assisted deposition using a preselected metal for efficient vaporization onto the designated surface region of the catheter body. Alternatively, the electrically conductive coating may be formed by sputtering the metal onto that region of the catheter, vacuum deposition, spraying, or printing the electrically conductive material onto the entire surface region. Portions of the coating may be removed by directing a laser beam onto the outer surface of the catheter and ablating such portions. The result is an electrically conductive coating of desired thickness used to form a relatively uniform electrode throughout the desired length and surface region of the catheter body to improve the characteristics of electric field and to form an electrode which flexes to substantially the same extent as the catheter body without such a coating. As a result, the electrode does not impede the flexibility of the catheter.
81 Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A method for forming an electrophysiology catheter with an electrode coating comprising the steps of:
-
providing a catheter body having an elongated flexible tubular member with an outer surface having a proximal end and a distal end; forming a coating of an electrically conductive material on said outer surface of said tubular member; and removing at least one portion of said coating intermediate said proximal and distal ends so that at least two coated portions result that are electrically insulated from one another. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
Specification