×

Catheters for imaging, sensing electrical potentials, and ablating tissue

  • US 6,004,269 A
  • Filed: 06/07/1995
  • Issued: 12/21/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. An acoustic imaging system for use within a body of a living being, comprising:

  • an elongated, flexible catheter constructed to be inserted into said body of said living being,an ultrasound device incorporated into said elongated, flexible catheter, said ultrasound device being arranged to direct ultrasonic signals toward an internal structure within said body of said living being for the purpose of creating an ultrasonic image of said internal structure,an electrode mounted on a distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, said electrode being arranged for electrical contact with said internal structure imaged by said ultrasound device,a balloon mounted on said distal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter, said balloon being constructed to cause ablation of at least a portion of said internal structure imaged by said ultrasound device, said balloon comprising a material that vibrates in response to electrical excitation, said ablation being at least assisted by vibration of said material, anda plurality of electrical conductors extending from a proximal portion of said elongated, flexible catheter to said distal portion, at least two of said plurality of electrical conductors being connected to said ultrasound device, at least one of said plurality of electrical conductors being connected to said electrode, and at least two of said plurality of electrical conductors being connected to said material of said balloon to cause vibration thereof.

View all claims
  • 4 Assignments
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×