Collapsible spline structure using a balloon as an expanding actuator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A device for forming lesions in tissue within the body, comprising:
- a catheter end assembly having a generally tubular main body;
a generally tubular expanding portion having a guide collar at a proximal portion thereof slidably attached to said main body;
an electrode structure adapted to transmit electrical energy to body tissue in order to form a lesion therein and carried by said expanding portion such that expansion of said expanding portion causes the electrode structure to effectively expand; and
a balloon structure within said expanding portion such that expansion of said balloon structure causes said expanding portion to expand and said guide collar to slide linearly along said main body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A collapsible electrode catheter assembly (10) having a delivery system (12) for controlling a catheter guide tube (16) having a catheter distal end assembly (22) thereon. The catheter distal end assembly (22) has an electrode structure (28) on an expanding assembly (34) for enlarging the electrode structure (28) in an expanded condition. A balloon structure (48) is used to expand and contract the expanding assembly (34) when an inflation medium (64) is alternately introduced into and withdrawn from the balloon structure (48).
752 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A device for forming lesions in tissue within the body, comprising:
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a catheter end assembly having a generally tubular main body; a generally tubular expanding portion having a guide collar at a proximal portion thereof slidably attached to said main body; an electrode structure adapted to transmit electrical energy to body tissue in order to form a lesion therein and carried by said expanding portion such that expansion of said expanding portion causes the electrode structure to effectively expand; and a balloon structure within said expanding portion such that expansion of said balloon structure causes said expanding portion to expand and said guide collar to slide linearly along said main body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved catheter, comprising:
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a handle; a main body tube having a proximal end engaged to said handle and a distal end; a distal end assembly extending from said distal end of said main body tube and including a generally tubular main body; an expandable end assembly having a guide collar at a proximal portion thereof slidably attached to said main body of the distal end assembly; an expandable electrode adapted to transmit electrical energy to body tissue in order to form a lesion therein and carried by said expandable end assembly such that expansion of said expandable end assembly enlarges an effective surface of said expandable electrode; and a balloon interior to said expandable end assembly such that inflation of said balloon causes said expandable end assembly to expand and said guide collar to slide linearly alone said main body of the distal end assembly. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A device for forming lesions in tissue within a chamber of the body, comprising:
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a catheter end assembly having a generally tubular main body; a generally tubular expanding portion having a proximal portion attached to said main body and a plurality of elongated slits therein alternating with a like plurality of elongated splines; an inflatable balloon structure within said expanding portion, such that expansion of said balloon structure causes said expanding portion to expand and said splines to move apart from each other; an electrode structure adapted to transmit electrical energy to body tissue in order to form a lesion therein, and carried by said expanding portion such that expansion of said expanding portion causes the electrode structure to effectively expand; and wherein said expanding portion is sized, such that expansion of said expanding portion within the body chamber causes said electrode structure to be placed in substantial circumferential contact with the tissue of the body chamber. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification