Ablation catheter
First Claim
1. An ablation catheter comprising(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of conductive media outlet openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, wherein the conductive media outlet openings form a linear line of openings extended down the catheter body, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode, and (f) a conductive media flow control system structured to expel the conductive media through the conductive media outlet openings wherein the conductive media flow control system comprises a plurality of electrode coils, wherein a gap between individual electrode coils varies.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ablation catheter is disclosed having proximal and distal ends and an external surface, a lumen contained within the catheter body, a plurality of openings in the surface of the catheter, wherein the openings are in communication with the lumen, one or more electrodes secured within the catheter within the lumen and a source for conductive media to be introduced into the lumen to contact the electrode. The ablation catheter also may contain a conductive media flow control system which controls the flow of the conductive media through the openings in the surface of the catheter. Also disclosed is a process for ablation of human tissue which includes introducing an ablation catheter into the human body to a location to be ablated, passing a conductive media through a lumen of the catheter to contact one or more electrodes, passing the conductive media through the openings in the catheter body to contact the tissue to be ablated, and conducting energy from the electrode through the conductive media to the tissue for a sufficient period of time to ablate the tissue.
258 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of conductive media outlet openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, wherein the conductive media outlet openings form a linear line of openings extended down the catheter body, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode, and (f) a conductive media flow control system structured to expel the conductive media through the conductive media outlet openings wherein the conductive media flow control system comprises a plurality of electrode coils, wherein a gap between individual electrode coils varies.
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15. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of conductive media outlet openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, wherein the conductive media outlet openings form a linear line of openings extended down the catheter body, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode, and (f) a conductive media flow control system structured to expel the conductive media through the conductive media outlet openings, wherein the conductive media flow control system comprises a conductively-coated tubular element containing a series of openings.
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16. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of conductive media outlet openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, wherein the conductive media outlet openings form a linear line of openings extended down the catheter body, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode, and (f) a conductive media flow control system structured to expel the conductive media through the conductive media outlet openings, wherein the conductive media flow control system comprises a filter element.
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17. A process for catheter ablation of human tissue comprising
(a) introducing an ablation catheter into a location within the human body to be ablated, wherein the ablation catheter comprises a catheter body, a lumen within said catheter body, a plurality of conductive media outlet openings in an external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, and an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body located within the lumen, wherein the conductive media outlet openings form a linear line of openings extended down the catheter body, and wherein the conductive media flow control system comprises a plurality of electrode coils, wherein a gap between individual electrode coils varies (b) passing a conductive media through the lumen of the catheter body to contact the electrode, (c) expelling the conductive media through the conductive media outlet openings in the catheter body to contact the human tissue, and (d) conducting energy from the electrode to the human tissue using the conductive media for a sufficient period of time to ablate the tissue and form a linear lesion.
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19. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, (d) a conductive media flow control system comprising a plurality of electrode coils fixedly secured to the catheter body, wherein a gap between a plurality of individual electrode coils varies, and (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode coils.
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20. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, wherein the electrode further comprises a plurality of coiled electrodes and wherein individual coils of the plurality of coiled electrode contain a variable gap, and (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode.
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21. An ablation catheter comprising
(a) a catheter body with proximal and distal ends and an external surface, (b) a lumen within the catheter body, (c) a plurality of openings in the external surface of the catheter body which are in communication with the lumen, (d) an electrode fixedly secured to the catheter body and located within the lumen, wherein the electrode further comprises a plurality of coiled electrodes and wherein an inside diameter of individual coils of the plurality of coiled electrode varies over the length of the coiled electrode, and (e) an introduction system for introducing a conductive media into the lumen to contact the electrode.
Specification