Process and device for the treatment of atrial arrhythmia

• US 6,503,247 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 01/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Daig Corporation (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stehr, Richard E., Swartz, John F., Bednarek, Michael C., Coyle, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Roy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/859,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20010021849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 606/32, 606/34, 606/37, 606/40-42, 606/45-48, 606/50, 600/373, 600/374, 607/99, 607/101, 607/122
• 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 2018/00261 arranged in a line
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00279 deployable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00333 Breast
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1435 Spiral
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

A process for the treatment of atrial arrhythmia by use of ablation procedures comprising circumferential ablation of vessels, particularly pulmonary veins associated with the left atrium of the heart. Also disclosed are medical devices used for formation of the circumferential ablation lesions in vessels associated with the heart.

Claims

1. A process for treatment of cardiac arrhythmia in a human heart comprising

introducing a medical device for performing ablation procedures into a pulmonary vein, and

forming a circumferential lesion in tissue adjacent to or within the pulmonary vein using the medical device, wherein the circumferential lesion is formed at least partially in an os of the pulmonary vein.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising at least substantially sealing the pulmonary vein by use of a seal member secured to the medical device to prevent substantially a flow of blood through the pulmonary vein prior to forming the circumferential lesion.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein the seal member comprises a balloon.

4. The process of claim 2 further comprising introducing conductive media into the pulmonary vein from the medical device after the pulmonary vein is at least substantially sealed.

5. The process of claim 4 further comprising conducting energy from the medical device to the os of the pulmonary vein by use of the conductive media.

6. The process of claim 4 further comprising introducing a second medical device to a location associated with the pulmonary vein proximal from the first medical device, wherein the conductive media flows around the second medical device.

7. The process of claim 6 further comprising conducting energy from the first medical device to the os of the pulmonary vein by use of the conductive media.

8. The process of claim 6 wherein the second medical device is secured to the first medical device and comprises a balloon.

9. The process of claim 2 further comprising steering the medical device to a location within the pulmonary vein by use of the seal member after the medical device is introduced in the pulmonary vein.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein the circumferential lesion is formed by the continuous application of ablative energy.

11. A process for the ablation of tissue associated with an os of a pulmonary vein of a human heart comprising

introducing a medical device containing a seal member through a chamber of the heart into the pulmonary vein,

at least substantially sealing the pulmonary vein to prevent substantially a flow of blood through the pulmonary vein by use of the seal member,

introducing an ablation member for ablating the tissue associated with the os of the pulmonary vein into the pulmonary vein, and

ablating tissue at least partially within the os of the pulmonary vein by use of the ablation member.

12. The process of claim 11 further comprising steering the medical device to a location within the pulmonary vein by use of the seal member after the medical device is introduced in the pulmonary vein.

13. The process of claim 11 wherein the seal member comprises a balloon.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein the tissue is ablated using a continuous application of ablative energy.

15. A process for treatment of cardia arrhythmia in a human heart comprising

introducing a medical device for performing ablation procedures into a pulmonary vein,

at least substantially sealing the pulmonary vein to prevent substantially a flow of blood through the pulmonary vein by use of a seal member, and

forming a circumferential lesion at least partially in tissue in an os of the pulmonary vein using the medical device.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the seal member comprises a balloon.

17. The process of claim 16 further comprising conducting energy from the medical device through the conductive media to a surface of the os of the pulmonary vein.

18. The process of claim 15 further comprising introducing conductive media into the pulmonary vein prior to forming the circumferential lesion.

19. The process of claim 18 further comprising introducing a second medical device secured to the first medical device to a location associated with the pulmonary vein proximal from the first medical device, wherein the conductive media flows around the second medical device.

20. The process of claim 15 further comprising steering the medical device to a location within the pulmonary vein by use of the seal member after the medical device is introduced in the pulmonary vein.