Methods for RF ablation using jet injection of conductive fluid

• US 6,814,731 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Scimed Life Systems Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Swanson, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US10/154,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606/32, 606/34
• US Class Current: 606/32
• 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 2018/00357 Endocardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes

Abstract

A method of preparing and ablating heart tissue includes a pre-treatment step of delivering a jet of conductive fluid to a portion of heart tissue. The conductive fluid is delivered using an injection device such as a hand-held jet injector, probe, or catheter. After injecting the heart tissue with the conductive fluid, RF energy is delivered to the site of the injection to form a lesion. The method enables a physician to produce large and accurately placed lesions within the treated tissue.

Claims

1. A method for treating tissue comprising the steps of:

providing an injecting device adjacent to a portion of the tissue;

injecting the tissue with a jet of conductive fluid to a depth within the range of about 2 mm to about 5 mm; and

applying RF energy to the tissue containing the injected conductive fluid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of injecting is performed at a pressure within the range of about 500 psi to about 1500 psi.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fluid is a solution selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fluid comprises an ionic radiographic contrast material.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the conductive fluid contains a dye.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injection device is a hand-held jet injector.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injection device is a probe.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the injection device is a catheter.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of injecting the tissue and the step of applying RF energy to the injected tissue are performed by a single probe.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of injecting the tissue and the step of applying RF energy to the injected tissue are performed by a single catheter.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein after application of the RF energy a lesion is formed having a depth of with the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the jet of conductive fluid is injected to a tissue depth of up to about 3 mm.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tissue is myocardial tissue.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the tissue is ablated by the RE energy.

15. A method for treating tissue comprising the steps of:

injecting the tissue with a jet of conductive fluid to a depth within the range of about 2 mm to about 5 mm; and

applying RE energy to the tissue containing the injected conductive fluid.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of injecting is performed at a pressure within the range of about 500 psi to about 1500 psi.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the conductive fluid is a solution selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, and potassium citrate.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the conductive fluid comprises an ionic radiographic contrast material.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the conductive fluid contains a dye.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of injecting the tissue and the step of applying RF energy to the injected tissue are performed by a single probe.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of injecting the tissue and the step of applying RF energy to the injected tissue are performed by a single catheter.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein after application of the RF energy a lesion is formed having a depth of with the range of about 1 mm to about 10 mm.

23. The method according to claim 15, wherein the jet of conductive fluid is injected to a tissue depth of up to about 3 mm.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the tissue is myocardial tissue.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein the tissue is ablated by the RE energy.