Ablation catheter, system, and method of use thereof
First Claim
1. A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion;
(b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration;
(c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter said ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said ablation catheter and a second end extending away from said ablation catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said elongate centering catheter when said centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to said vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a heart chamber wall portion from vessel such as a pulmonary vein extending into said wall portion comprises (a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion; (b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration; (c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter said ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion. The ablation element is configured to form a circumferential ablation on the wall around the elongate centering catheter when the centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to the vessel. In a further embodiment, a non-expandable, compliant centering element is employed, such as an elastic finger. Systems incorporating such an apparatus and methods of use thereof are also disclosed.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion;
(b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration;
(c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter said ablation element having a distal end portion, and (d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said ablation catheter and a second end extending away from said ablation catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said elongate centering catheter when said centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A cardiac ablation system for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said system comprising:
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(a) an elongate centering catheter having a distal end portion;
(b) an expandable centering element connected to said centering catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel when in a retracted configuration, and for securing said elongate centering catheter in a substantially axially aligned position with respect to said vessel when said centering element is in an expanded configuration;
(c) an ablation catheter slidably connected to said centering catheter, said ablation catheter having a distal end portion; and
(d) an expandable ablation element connected to said ablation catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said ablation catheter and a second end extending away from said ablation catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said elongate centering catheter when said centering catheter is axially aligned with respect to said vessel; and
(e) a power supply operably associated with said ablation element. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A cardiac ablation apparatus for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) an elongate catheter having a distal end portion;
(b) a nonexpandable, compliant, centering element connected to said catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel; and
(c) an expandable ablation element connected to said catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said catheter and a second end extending away from said catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said centering element when said centering element is positioned in said vessel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A cardiac ablation system for producing a circumferential ablation that electrically isolates a chamber wall portion of a heart from a vessel extending into said wall portion, said system comprising:
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(a) an elongate catheter having a distal end portion;
(b) a nonexpandable, compliant, centering element connected to said catheter distal end portion and configured for positioning within said vessel; and
(c) an expandable ablation element connected to said catheter distal end portion, said ablation element comprising a plurality of expandable legs, each of said legs having a first end mounted to said catheter and a second end extending away from said catheter, each of said legs comprising at least one electrode positioned on said second end thereof, said ablation element configured to form a circumferential ablation on said wall portion around said centering element when said centering element is positioned in said vessel; and
(d) a power supply operably associated with said ablation element. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification