Expandable-collapsible electrode structures made of electrically conductive material

• US 6,179,835 B1
• Filed: 04/27/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EP Technology (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Panescu, Dorin, Swanson, David K., Whayne, James G., Kordis, Thomas F.
• Primary Examiner(s): COHEN, LEE S
• Application Number:
  US09/300,936
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/49, 606/34, 607/98, 607/99, 607/105, 607/113, 607/122, 600/374
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00053 Mapping
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22051 with an inflatable part, e.g. balloon, for positioning, blocking, or immobilisation A61B2017/22048, A61B2017/3486 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22061 for spreading elements apart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00083 low, i.e. electrically insulating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00095 high, i.e. heat conducting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00113 with foam
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00148 with metal
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0022 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00267 having a basket shaped structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/085 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/145 Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 : Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/145 : Hydrogels or hydrocolloids
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 : Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 1/02 : Cellulose; Modified cellulose

Abstract

Electrode assemblies and associated systems employ a nonporous wall having an exterior for contacting tissue. The exterior peripherally surrounds an interior area. The wall is essentially free of electrically conductive material. The wall is adapted to assume an expanded geometry having a first maximum diameter and a collapsed geometry having a second maximum diameter less than the first maximum diameter. The assemblies and systems include a lumen that conveys a medium containing ions into the interior area. An element free of physical contact with the wall couples the medium within the interior area to a source of electrical energy to enable ionic transport of electrical energy from the source through the medium to the wall for capacitive coupling to tissue contacting the exterior of the wall.

Claims

1. A family of collapsible electrode assemblies having different resistivities for creating different lesion characteristics in body tissue, each collapsible electrode assembly comprising an electrically conductive polymer body of a predetermined different resistivity adapted to transmit electrically energy to tissue and adapted to selectively assume an expanded geometry having a first maximum diameter and a collapsed geometry having a second maximum diameter less than the first maximum diameter.

2. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 1, wherein each electrically conductive polymer body includes a wall and an electrically conductive material is located within the wall.

3. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 2, wherein all or at least a portion of the wall is coextruded with said electrically conductive material.

4. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 3, wherein the resistivity of each electrically conductive polymer body is varied by varying the amount of conductive material coextruded into the walls of respective bodies.

5. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 2, wherein said electrically conductive material is a member from the group consisting of carbon black and chopped carbon fiber.

6. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 1, further including an electrically conductive shell carried by each electrically conductive polymer body and electrically coupled thereto.

7. The family of collapsible electrode assemblies of claim 1, wherein each electrically conductive polymer body has a resistivity close to the resistivity of body tissue.