System for electrosurgical myocardial revascularization
First Claim
1. A method of revascularizing a portion of a patient'"'"'s myocardium comprising:
- positioning an active electrode in close proximity to a target site on a wall of the patient'"'"'s heart wherein the active electrode comprises an electrode array including a plurality of isolated electrode terminals;
contacting the active electrode with an electrically conducting fluid disposed in a space between the active electrode and the target site;
inducing discharge of energetic electrons and photons from the conducting fluid by applying a sufficient high-frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode; and
directing the energetic electrons and photons to ablate tissue at the heart wall to form a revascularizing channel through at least a portion of the heart wall.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for transmyocardial revascularization of the heart of a patient includes positioning an active electrode surface in close proximity to a target site on the wall of a patient'"'"'s heart, and applying high frequency voltage between the active voltage surface and a return electrode to ablate tissue at the heart wall. The high frequency voltage ablates, i.e. volumetrically removes the heart tissue, and the electrode surface is axially translated into the space vacated by the removed tissue to bore a channel through the heart tissue. The active electrode surface may be introduced into the thoracic cavity and placed adjacent the epicardium to form an inward channel toward the ventricular cavity, or it may be delivered into the ventricular cavity of the heart and positioned adjacent the endocardium to form a channel extending outward towards the epicardium. In either case, the channels formed through the myocardium promote direct communication between blood within the ventricular cavity and that of existing myocardial vasculature to increase blood flow to the heart tissue.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of revascularizing a portion of a patient'"'"'s myocardium comprising:
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positioning an active electrode in close proximity to a target site on a wall of the patient'"'"'s heart wherein the active electrode comprises an electrode array including a plurality of isolated electrode terminals; contacting the active electrode with an electrically conducting fluid disposed in a space between the active electrode and the target site; inducing discharge of energetic electrons and photons from the conducting fluid by applying a sufficient high-frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode; and directing the energetic electrons and photons to ablate tissue at the heart wall to form a revascularizing channel through at least a portion of the heart wall. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of revascularizing a portion of a patient'"'"'s myocardium comprising:
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positioning an active electrode in close proximity to a target site on a wall of the patient'"'"'s heart, wherein the active electrode comprises an electrode array including a plurality of isolated electrode terminals; directing an electrically conducting fluid in a space between the active electrode and the target site; and applying high-frequency voltage between the active electrode and a return electrode to ablate tissue at the heart wall to form a revascularizing channel through at least a portion of the heart wall.
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Specification