Catheter with enhanced ablation electrode

• US 6,475,214 B1
• Filed: 05/01/2000
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Biosense Webster Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Moaddeb, Shahram
• Primary Examiner(s): ROLLINS, ROSILAND STACIE
• Application Number:
  US09/561,717
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/39, 606/40, 606/41, 606/45, 606/46, 606/47-50, 607/96, 607/98, 607/99, 607/104, 607/105, 607/106, 607/113
• 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 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00119 with metal oxide nitride
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00815 measured by a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00821 measured by a thermocouple

Abstract

An ablation catheter comprises an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough. A tip electrode having a length of at least about 3 mm is mounted on the distal end of the catheter body. The tip electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material, the porous layer comprising metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof.

Claims

1. An ablation catheter comprising:

an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough; and

a tip electrode having a length of at least about 3 mm mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the tip electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material, the porous layer comprising metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof.

2. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.

3. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3.8 mm to about 4.5 mm.

4. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer comprises metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide or metal carbonitride, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, iridium, platinum, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, ruthenium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum cerium, chromium, yttrium, aluminum, nickel, and tungsten.

5. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

6. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer covers all of the outer surface of the base material.

7. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the porous layer has a thickness ranging from about 1 micron to about 50 microns.

8. A catheter according to claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor mounted in the tip electrode.

9. A catheter according to claim 1 having a useful length of at least about 100 cm.

10. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the base material is not porous.

11. A catheter according to claim 1, wherein the base material comprises a material different from the porous layer.

12. An ablation system comprising:

a catheter comprising;

an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough, and

a tip electrode mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the tip electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material, the porous layer comprising metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof; and

a source of radio frequency energy electrically connected to the tip electrode.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the tip electrode has a length of at least about 3 mm.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3.8 mm to about 4.5 mm.

16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the porous layer comprises metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide or metal carbonitride, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, iridium, platinum, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, ruthenium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum cerium, chromium, yttrium, aluminum, nickel, and tungsten.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

18. A system according to claim 12, wherein the catheter further comprises a temperature sensor mounted in the tip electrode.

19. A system according to claim 12, wherein the catheter has a useful length of at least about 100 cm.

20. A system according to claim 12, wherein the base material is not porous.

21. A system according to claim 12, wherein the base material comprises a material different from the porous layer.

22. A method for ablating tissue in a patient, comprising:

providing a catheter comprising;

an elongated, flexible catheter body having proximal and distal ends and at least one lumen extending therethrough, and

a tip electrode mounted on the distal end of the catheter body, wherein the tip electrode comprises a base material having an outer surface and a porous layer applied over at least a portion of the outer surface of the base material, the porous layer comprising metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide, metal carbonitride, carbon, carboxy nitride, or a combination thereof;

introducing the distal end of the catheter into the patient so that the tip electrode is in contact with the tissue to be ablated; and

applying energy to tip electrode, thereby creating a lesion in the tissue.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the tip electrode has a length of at least about 3 mm.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3 mm to about 6 mm.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the tip electrode has a length ranging from about 3.8 mm to about 4.5 mm.

26. A method according to claim 22, wherein the porous layer comprises metal nitride, metal oxide, metal carbide or metal carbonitride, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of titanium, iridium, platinum, vanadium, zirconium, niobium, ruthenium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum cerium, chromium, yttrium, aluminum, nickel, and tungsten.

27. A method according to claim 22, wherein the porous layer comprises titanium nitride or iridium oxide.

28. A method according to claim 22, wherein the catheter further comprises a temperature sensor mounted in the tip electrode.

29. A method according to claim 22, wherein the catheter has a useful length of at least about 100 cm.

30. A method according to claim 22, wherein the base material is not porous.

31. A method according to claim 22, wherein the base material comprises a material different from the porous layer.