Ablation system
First Claim
1. An ablation system, comprising:
- generating means for generating ablation energy;
an ablation device comprising first ablation means connectable to the generating means and locatable adjacent a first tissue site to be ablated, for applying the generated ablation energy to the first tissue site;
a first impedance measuring electrode mounted to the ablation device so that the first impedance measuring electrode is adjacent the first tissue site when the first ablating means is adjacent the first tissue site;
impedance measurement circuitry connectable to the first impedance measuring electrode to measure impedance at the first tissue site, using the first impedance measuring electrode; and
control circuitry operably coupled to the generating means to initiate and terminate the application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the control circuitry is coupled to the impedance measurement circuit and terminates application of ablation energy to the first ablating means responsive to occurrence of an impedance plateau measured by the impedance measuring circuitry using the first impedance measuring electrode, following initiation of application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the impedance plateau is defined as a maximum acceptable rate of change of impedance measurements over a defined period of time.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for creating lesions and assessing their completeness or transmurality. Assessment of transmurality of a lesion is accomplished by monitoring the impedance of the tissue to be ablated. Rather than attempting to detect a desired drop or a desired increase impedance, completeness of a lesion is detected in response to the measured impedance remaining at a stable level for a desired period of time, referred to as an impedance plateau. The mechanism for determining transmurality of lesions adjacent individual electrodes or pairs may be used to deactivate individual electrodes or electrode pairs, when the lesions in tissue adjacent these individual electrodes or electrode pairs are complete, to create an essentially uniform lesion along the line of electrodes or electrode pairs, regardless of differences in tissue thickness adjacent the individual electrodes or electrode pairs.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An ablation system, comprising:
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generating means for generating ablation energy; an ablation device comprising first ablation means connectable to the generating means and locatable adjacent a first tissue site to be ablated, for applying the generated ablation energy to the first tissue site; a first impedance measuring electrode mounted to the ablation device so that the first impedance measuring electrode is adjacent the first tissue site when the first ablating means is adjacent the first tissue site; impedance measurement circuitry connectable to the first impedance measuring electrode to measure impedance at the first tissue site, using the first impedance measuring electrode; and control circuitry operably coupled to the generating means to initiate and terminate the application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the control circuitry is coupled to the impedance measurement circuit and terminates application of ablation energy to the first ablating means responsive to occurrence of an impedance plateau measured by the impedance measuring circuitry using the first impedance measuring electrode, following initiation of application of ablating energy to the first ablating means, wherein the impedance plateau is defined as a maximum acceptable rate of change of impedance measurements over a defined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An ablation system, comprising:
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a generator for generating ablation energy; an ablation device comprising an ablation element connectable to the generator and locatable adjacent a tissue site to be ablated, for applying the generated ablation energy to the tissue site; an impedance measurement electrode mounted to the ablation device so that the impedance measurement electrode is adjacent the tissue site when the ablation element is adjacent the tissue site; impedance measurement circuitry connectable to the impedance measurement electrode to measure impedance at the tissue site, using the impedance measurement electrode; and control circuitry operably coupled to the generator to initiate and terminate the application of ablating energy to the ablation element, wherein the control circuitry is coupled to the impedance measurement circuit and terminates application of ablation energy to the ablation element responsive to occurrence of an impedance plateau measured by the impedance measurement circuitry using the impedance measurement electrode, following initiation of application of ablating energy to the ablation element, wherein the impedance plateau is defined as a maximum acceptable rate of change of impedance measurements over a defined period of time. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification