Methods for ablation with radiant energy
First Claim
1. A method of treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:
- positioning a distal portion of an ablation instrument in proximity to one or more pulmonary veins, the ablation instrument having a hollow housing and an independently axially positionable energy emitter within the distal portion, the distal portion being transmissive to radiant energy, wherein the energy emitter is configured and the distal portion is shaped such that a distance a beam of ablative energy travels from the energy emitter to the portion of the distal portion in contact with target tissue changes based on the energy emitter'"'"'s location along the length of the ablation instrument while the distal portion maintains its shape, wherein the energy emitter comprises a light emitting element and a beam-forming optical waveguide that receives light from the light emitting element, wherein the wavequide is located at a distal end of the light emitting element and is configured so as to project onto the distal portion a hollow cone of radiation;
axially positioning the energy emitter at any of a plurality of locations along a length of distal portion;
activating the energy emitter to transmit energy to the waveguide located at the distal end of the light emitting element;
wherein the waveguide causes the transmitted energy to be confined to an annular band of light energy that is focused on the target tissue region; and
conveying the annular band of light energy through the distal portion of the housing to form an annular lesion in proximity to the one or more pulmonary veins.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of treating atrial fibrillation includes the step of positioning a distal portion of an ablation instrument in proximity to one or more pulmonary veins. The instrument has a hollow housing and an independently axially positionable energy emitter within the distal portion The energy emitter is configured and the distal portion is shaped such that a distance a beam of ablative energy travels from the energy emitter to the portion of the distal portion in contact with target tissue changes based on the energy emitter'"'"'s location along the length of the instrument while the distal portion maintains its shape The energy emitter is a light emitting element and a beam-forming optical waveguide that receives light from the light emitting element. The waveguide projects onto the distal portion a hollow cone of radiation.
283 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method of treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:
-
positioning a distal portion of an ablation instrument in proximity to one or more pulmonary veins, the ablation instrument having a hollow housing and an independently axially positionable energy emitter within the distal portion, the distal portion being transmissive to radiant energy, wherein the energy emitter is configured and the distal portion is shaped such that a distance a beam of ablative energy travels from the energy emitter to the portion of the distal portion in contact with target tissue changes based on the energy emitter'"'"'s location along the length of the ablation instrument while the distal portion maintains its shape, wherein the energy emitter comprises a light emitting element and a beam-forming optical waveguide that receives light from the light emitting element, wherein the wavequide is located at a distal end of the light emitting element and is configured so as to project onto the distal portion a hollow cone of radiation; axially positioning the energy emitter at any of a plurality of locations along a length of distal portion; activating the energy emitter to transmit energy to the waveguide located at the distal end of the light emitting element; wherein the waveguide causes the transmitted energy to be confined to an annular band of light energy that is focused on the target tissue region; and conveying the annular band of light energy through the distal portion of the housing to form an annular lesion in proximity to the one or more pulmonary veins. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method of treating atrial fibrillation, comprising:
-
selecting a target tissue region proximate to one or more pulmonary veins; providing an ablation instrument that includes a catheter and a projection balloon coupled to the catheter, the ablation instrument having an independently axially positionable energy emitter within the projection balloon, the projection balloon being transmissive to radiant energy, the energy emitter being centrally located within an inner catheter that passes through the balloon; positioning the projection balloon of the ablation instrument in proximity to the one or more pulmonary veins such that the projection balloon is seated against an ostium of the pulmonary vein and a distal end of the balloon is disposed at least partially within the pulmonary vein and a portion of the ablation instrument is in a heart chamber; determining a location at which the projection balloon is in full circumferential contact with the ostium of the pulmonary vein; axially positioning the energy emitter, while the projection balloon remains seated at the location, at a position along a length of the projection balloon in which the energy transmitted therefrom will contact a section of the projection balloon that is in full circumferential contact with the target tissue region; and activating the energy emitter to transmit energy through the projection balloon to cause an annular band of energy, having a projection angle of between about 20 degrees to about 45 degrees, to be focused on the target tissue region to form an annular lesion in proximity to the one or more pulmonary veins. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification