Ablation devices with sensors structures
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for tissue treatment comprising:
- (a) a catheter having proximal and distal ends;
(b) an expandable ablation device, said ablation device having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, said ablation device being operative to ablate tissue in proximity to the ablation device when the ablation device is in said expanded condition, said catheter and said ablation device in said expanded condition defining a distally facing port and a continuous passageway extending between said port and the proximal end of the catheter, said catheter being steerable so that the orientation of said expandable ablation device relative to the anatomy can be selectively varied; and
(c) an elongated sensor probe having proximal and distal ends, a main portion, an open hoop region, and a limb portion coupling the main portion to the hoop region, wherein the limb portion extends radially away from the main portion and extends proximally from a distal end of the main portion, said sensor probe including one or more electrodes disposed adjacent the distal end of the sensor probe, said passageway and said ablation device being constructed and arranged so that said sensor probe can be removably positioned in said passageway with the distal end of said sensor probe projecting out of said ablation device through said port, wherein the distal end of the sensor probe has an unconstrained curvature relative to the hoop region, and the hoop region has an unconstrained curvature in a plane orthogonal to the curvature of the distal end, resulting in an unconstrained configuration in which the hoop region is curved in the distal direction, towards the distal end of the main portion, and the distal end of the sensor probe is angled such that it lies closer to the distal end of the main portion than a juncture between the hoop region and the limb portion.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cardiac ablation device, including a steerable catheter (10) and an expandable ablation element (18) incorporating one or more balloons (20,22) at the distal end of the catheter, has a continuous passageway (28, 30) extending through it from the proximal end of the catheter to the distal side of the expandable ablation element. A probe (72) carrying electrodes is introduced through this passageway and deploys, under the influence of its own resilience, to a structure incorporating a loop (82) which is automatically aligned with the axis of the expandable ablation device, so that minimal manipulation is required to place the sensor probe.
79 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. Apparatus for tissue treatment comprising:
-
(a) a catheter having proximal and distal ends; (b) an expandable ablation device, said ablation device having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, said ablation device being operative to ablate tissue in proximity to the ablation device when the ablation device is in said expanded condition, said catheter and said ablation device in said expanded condition defining a distally facing port and a continuous passageway extending between said port and the proximal end of the catheter, said catheter being steerable so that the orientation of said expandable ablation device relative to the anatomy can be selectively varied; and (c) an elongated sensor probe having proximal and distal ends, a main portion, an open hoop region, and a limb portion coupling the main portion to the hoop region, wherein the limb portion extends radially away from the main portion and extends proximally from a distal end of the main portion, said sensor probe including one or more electrodes disposed adjacent the distal end of the sensor probe, said passageway and said ablation device being constructed and arranged so that said sensor probe can be removably positioned in said passageway with the distal end of said sensor probe projecting out of said ablation device through said port, wherein the distal end of the sensor probe has an unconstrained curvature relative to the hoop region, and the hoop region has an unconstrained curvature in a plane orthogonal to the curvature of the distal end, resulting in an unconstrained configuration in which the hoop region is curved in the distal direction, towards the distal end of the main portion, and the distal end of the sensor probe is angled such that it lies closer to the distal end of the main portion than a juncture between the hoop region and the limb portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An elongate ablation device comprising:
-
(a) an elongated tubular shaft section having proximal and distal ends; (b) an elongated distal section having proximal and distal ends, a plurality of electrodes, said distal section having an unconstrained shape including a main portion, a hoop region, and a limb portion coupling the main portion to the hoop region, wherein the limb portion extends radially away from the main portion and extends proximally from a distal end of the main portion, said hoop region having said plurality of electrodes thereon, wherein the distal section in the unconstrained shape includes an opening in the hoop region, and the hoop region has a curvature in the distal direction and the distal end of the distal section is angled such that it lies closer to the distal end of the main portion than a juncture between the hoop region and the limb portion; and (c) one or more electrical conductors extending within said shaft section, said electrical conductors being electrically connected to said electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification