Ablation device with jaws

• US 7,875,028 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Daigle, Tom P., Christian, Steven C., Rothstein, Paul T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sweet; Thomas J
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCOTT, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US12/499,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20090270857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 606 50- 52, 606205-207
• US Class Current: 606/51
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• 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 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00363 Epicardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00375 Ostium, e.g. ostium of pulmonary vein or artery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation

Abstract

System, device and method for ablating target tissue adjacent pulmonary veins of a patient through an incision. An ablation device can include a hinge including a cam assembly, a moving arm, a floating jaw, and a lower jaw. Fingers can engage the floating jaw to hold the floating jaw in a first position with respect to the moving arm. Some embodiments of the invention can provide an ablation device including a central support, an upper four-bar linkage coupled to the central support, an upper jaw coupled to the upper linkage, a lower four-bar linkage coupled to the central support, and a lower jaw coupled to the lower linkage. Some embodiments of the invention can provide an ablation device having an upper jaw including a first cannula connection and a lower jaw including a second cannula connection. The system can include a first catheter coupled to the first cannula connection and a second catheter coupled to the second cannula connection. The first and second catheters can be inserted through the incision and can move the upper and lower jaws adjacent the pulmonary veins.

Claims

1. An ablation device for ablating target tissue adjacent pulmonary veins of a patient, the ablation device comprising:

a hinge including a cam assembly, the cam assembly including at least one rider and at least one finger;

a moving arm coupled to the hinge, the moving arm including a cam surface that engages the at least one rider;

a floating jaw coupled to the moving arm, the at least one finger engaging the floating jaw to hold the floating jaw in a first position with respect to the moving arm as the floating jaw is moved from an open position partially toward a closed position, the floating jaw including a first electrode that receives ablation energy; and

a lower jaw coupled to the hinge, the lower jaw including a channel that receives the at least one finger, the channel allowing the floating jaw to move to a second position that is reoriented with respect to the moving arm after partial closing of the floating jaw from an open position toward a closed position, the lower jaw including a second electrode that receives ablation energy.

2. The ablation device of claim 1 wherein the cam assembly includes two riders and two fingers.

3. The ablation device of claim 1 wherein the floating jaw swivels between the first position and the second position.

4. The ablation device of claim 1 wherein the first electrode and the second electrode receive ablation energy including at least one of radio frequency energy, thermal energy, cryogenic energy, and microwave energy.

5. The ablation device of claim 1 and further comprising a neck coupled to the hinge, a collar coupled to the neck, a hinge assembly coupled to the collar, a thumb ring coupled to the hinge assembly, and a trigger coupled to the hinge assembly.

6. The ablation device of claim 5 and further comprising a cable coupled between the trigger and at least one of the moving arm and the floating jaw.