Catheter with tissue protecting assembly

• US 8,221,407 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Phan, Huy D., Swanson, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIBSON, ROY DEAN
• Application Number:
  US12/499,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,105 Days
• Field of Search: 606 41- 50, 606/32, 606/37, 607 96-102
• US Class Current: 606/37
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/082 Probes or electrodes therefor
• 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 2018/00065 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00214 Expandable means emitting energy, e.g. by elements carried thereon
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00238 porous
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0436 Shielding
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/283 Invasive

Abstract

A medical probe includes an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, an ablative element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, and a cage assembly mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, the cage assembly at least partially covers the ablative element. A method of treating tissue in a body includes inserting an ablative element in the body, placing the ablative element adjacent the tissue, and maintaining a distance between the ablative element and the tissue using a protective catheter element that circumscribes at least a portion of the ablative element.

Claims

1. A medical probe, comprising:

an elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end;

an operative element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, the operative element configured for conveying or returning ablation energy; and

a protective element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the protective element at least partially covers the operative element to prevent the ablative electrode element from contacting solid tissue, and wherein the protective element comprises a ring element that coaxially surrounds and is slidable relative to the elongate member.

2. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the protective element comprises a cage assembly.

3. The medical probe of claim 2, wherein the cage assembly includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of struts secured between the proximal end and the distal end.

4. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein one of a proximal end and a distal end of the protective element comprises the ring element, and the other of the proximal end and distal end is fixedly secured to the elongate member.

5. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the protective element comprises the ring element, and a distal end of the protective element is fixedly secured to the elongate member.

6. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein a distal end of the protective element comprises the ring element, and a proximal end of the protective element is fixedly secured to the elongate member.

7. The medical probe of claim 1, further comprising a sleeve having a lumen in which the elongate member is slidably disposed.

8. The medical probe of claim 7, wherein the protective element has an expanded configuration when outside the lumen of the sleeve, and a collapsed configuration when inside the lumen of the sleeve.

9. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the protective element is made from an electrically non-conductive material.

10. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the protective element comprises a braided or woven structure.

11. The medical probe of claim 1, further comprising a handle assembly secured to a proximal end of the elongate member.

12. The medical probe of claim 11, wherein the handle assembly comprises a steering mechanism.

13. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the elongate member is a catheter member.

14. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the operative element is an electrode element.

15. The medical probe of claim 1, further comprising:

an additional operative element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the additional operative element is configured for conveying or returning ablation energy; and

an additional protective element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, the additional protective element at least partially covering the additional operative element to prevent the additional operative element from contacting solid tissue.

16. The medical probe of claim 1, further comprising an additional operative element mounted to the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the protective element at least partially covers the operative element and the additional operative element.

17. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the protective element circumscribes the operative element.

18. The medical probe of claim 1, wherein the protective element is incapable of conveying electrical energy between the solid tissue and the operative element.

19. A method of treating solid tissue in a body using the medical probe of claim 1, comprising:

inserting the elongate member into the body to place the operative element placing the operative element adjacent the solid tissue; and

maintaining a distance between the operative element and the solid tissue using the protective element.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising conveying energy between the operative element and the solid tissue, wherein the solid tissue is not ablated by the operative element.