Methods of treating cardiac arrhythmia
First Claim
1. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia comprising:
- guiding a body of an injectate delivery device within a patients thoracic cavity to position a distal tissue-contacting portion of the body in surface contact with a tissue surface of cardiac tissue;
detecting the surface contact between the tissue-contacting portion and the tissue surface; and
thereafter, injecting a tissue-ablating agent into the cardiac tissue through the tissue-contacting portion of the body;
wherein the step of detecting surface contact comprises supplying an excitation voltage to a plurality of electrodes positioned on the tissue-contacting portion of the body and measuring a level of at least one current conducted by the plurality of electrodes, wherein the level depends upon a degree of contact between at least two of the electrodes and the tissue surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus of embodiments of the invention are adapted to treat tissue inside a patient'"'"'s body. Aspects of the invention can be used in a wide variety of applications, but certain embodiments provide minimally invasive alternatives for treating atrial fibrillation by delivering a tissue-damaging agent to selected areas of the heart. One exemplary embodiment of the invention provides a method of treating cardiac arrhythmia. This method includes positioning a distal tissue-contacting portion of a body in surface contact with a tissue surface of cardiac tissue; detecting the surface contact between the tissue-contacting portion and the tissue surface; and thereafter, injecting a tissue-ablating agent into the cardiac tissue through the tissue-contacting portion of the body.
169 Citations
8 Claims
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1. A method of treating cardiac arrhythmia comprising:
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guiding a body of an injectate delivery device within a patients thoracic cavity to position a distal tissue-contacting portion of the body in surface contact with a tissue surface of cardiac tissue; detecting the surface contact between the tissue-contacting portion and the tissue surface; and thereafter, injecting a tissue-ablating agent into the cardiac tissue through the tissue-contacting portion of the body; wherein the step of detecting surface contact comprises supplying an excitation voltage to a plurality of electrodes positioned on the tissue-contacting portion of the body and measuring a level of at least one current conducted by the plurality of electrodes, wherein the level depends upon a degree of contact between at least two of the electrodes and the tissue surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification