Cooled ablation catheter with reciprocating flow
First Claim
1. A method of cooling an ablation electrode using reciprocating flow comprising a cyclical alternating repetition of an intake step of admitting blood into an inner cavity of the electrode, followed by an exhaust step expelling the blood from the inner cavity of the electrode, wherein the blood is allowed to flow into and out of a portion of a central lumen, and the volumes of flow into and out of the electrode are equal in the intake and exhaust steps, respectively.
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Abstract
The invention relates to an ablation catheter which controls the temperature and reduces the coagulation of biological fluids on an electrode of a catheter, prevents the impedance rise of tissue in contact with the electrode, and maximizes the potential energy transfer to the tissue, thereby allowing an increase in the lesion size produced by the ablation. The electrode includes passages positioned to allow blood and other biological fluids to flow into and out of an inner cavity of the electrode. This fluid flow produced the desired cooling effect and is accomplished, for example, by a reciprocating plunger or piston, or by a balloon that is alternately inflated and deflated.
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11 Claims
- 1. A method of cooling an ablation electrode using reciprocating flow comprising a cyclical alternating repetition of an intake step of admitting blood into an inner cavity of the electrode, followed by an exhaust step expelling the blood from the inner cavity of the electrode, wherein the blood is allowed to flow into and out of a portion of a central lumen, and the volumes of flow into and out of the electrode are equal in the intake and exhaust steps, respectively.
- 8. A method of cooling an ablation electrode using reciprocating flow comprising a cyclical alternating repetition of an intake step of admitting blood into an inner cavity of the electrode, followed by an exhaust step expelling the blood from the inner cavity of the electrode, wherein the blood is allowed to flow into and out of a portion of a central lumen, and the volumes of flow into and out of the electrode are substantially equal in the course of all the intake and exhaust steps, respectively.
Specification