Devices and methods for ablating cardiac tissue

• US 8,709,007 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: St. Jude Medical (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Vaska, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): PEFFLEY, MICHAEL F
• Application Number:
  US11/882,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045946A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,465 Days
• Field of Search: 606/41, 606 45- 50, 607/101, 607/102, 607/122
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/02 by cooling, e.g. cryogenic techniques devices for cooling specific reflex points of the body within cell-life limits A61H39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1402 Probes for open surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00247 Making holes in the wall of the heart, e.g. laser Myocardial revascularization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00023 closed, i.e. without wound contact by the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00232 having an irregular shape
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00261 arranged in a line
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00285 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00291 using suction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00351 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00363 Epicardium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00392 Transmyocardial revascularisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00654 with individual control of each of a plurality of energy emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00797 measured by multiple temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 : Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/142 : at least partly surrounding the target, e.g. concave, curved or in the form of a cave
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1467 : using more than two electrodes on a single probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1472 : for use with liquid electrolyte, e.g. virtual electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 : using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 : transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/002 : Irrigation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2218/007 : Aspiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 : Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 : Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 : for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3629 : in combination with non-electric therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/02 : Localised ultrasound hyperthermia hyperthermia in general A61F7/00

Abstract

An ablation device for ablating epicardial tissue on a heart is disclosed. The device includes an elongated probe having at least one tissue contacting surface for contacting the epicardial tissue. The device also includes a plurality of suction ports and a plurality of ablating elements aligned along at least part of the axis of the elongated probe and coupled with a tissue contacting member. The assembly may optionally include a visualization device to determine the location and depth of transmural lesions. Also disclosed are methods of locating and placing the ablation device and forming transmural lesions on a heart for treatment of cardiac arrythmias.

Claims

1. An ablation device for ablating tissue, the ablation device comprising:

a probe, wherein the probe comprises a first segment having a proximal endpoint and a distal endpoint and at least one tissue contacting surface coupled to at least one ablating element and a second segment having a proximal endpoint and a distal endpoint and at least one tissue contacting surface coupled to at least one ablating element, wherein the second segment lies at least partially within the first segment, and wherein the first segment and second segment are interconnected and slidable relative to each other, wherein the distal endpoint of the second segment is slidable through the distal endpoint of the first segment;

the first segment and second segment each comprising a biocompatible polymer material, and the second segment having;

a plurality of suction ports aligned along at least part of the at least one tissue contacting surface for applying a suction force to secure the ablation device to the tissue.

2. The ablation device of claim 1, wherein the at least one ablating element is elongated in order to create elongated, transmural lesions.

3. An ablation device for ablating tissue, the ablation device comprising:

a probe, wherein the probe comprises a first segment having a proximal endpoint, a distal endpoint, and at least one ablating element and a second elongated segment having a proximal endpoint and a distal endpoint, wherein the second segment lies at least partially within the first segment, and wherein the first segment and second segment are interconnected and slidable relative to each other, wherein the distal endpoint of the second segment extends distally through the distal endpoint of the first segment;

the elongated second segment having at least one tissue contacting surface for contacting the tissue, said elongated second segment having;

an axis that runs lengthwise along the segment;

a plurality of suction ports aligned along at least part of the axis of the elongated second segment, said suction ports applying a suction force to secure the ablation device to the tissue; and

a plurality of ablating elements aligned along at least part of the axis of the elongated second segment and being coupled with the tissue contacting member.

4. The ablation device of claim 3, wherein adjacent ablating elements are spaced a selected distance apart from each other such that lesions created by adjacent ablating elements contact or overlap one another, thereby creating a continuous lesion.

5. The ablation device of claim 4, wherein the ablating elements are spaced equally apart from each other.

6. The ablation device of claim 5, further comprising a visualization device coupled with the device for enhancing visualization of an area around the tissue to be ablated.

7. The ablation device of claim 6, wherein the visualization device provides data that is used to assess a location and/or depth of a transmural lesion.

8. An ablation device for ablating tissue, the ablation device comprising:

a probe, wherein the probe comprises a first segment having a proximal endpoint, a distal endpoint, and at least one ablating element and a second elongated segment having a proximal endpoint and a distal endpoint, wherein the second segment lies at least partially within the first segment, and wherein the first segment and second segment are interconnected and slidable relative to each other, wherein the distal endpoint of the second segment extends distally through the distal endpoint of the first segment;

the elongated second segment having at least one tissue contacting surface for contacting the tissue, said elongated second segment having;

a first axis that runs lengthwise along the segment;

a plurality of suction ports being arranged along a second axis that is parallel to the first axis, said suction ports applying a suction force to secure the ablation device to the tissue; and

a plurality of ablating elements coupled with the tissue contacting member, said plurality of ablating elements being arranged along a third axis that is parallel to the first axis.

9. An ablation device as in claim 8, wherein at least a portion of each of the second axis and the third axis are substantially overlap each other.

10. An ablation device for ablating tissue, the ablation device comprising:

a probe, wherein the probe comprises a first segment having a proximal endpoint, a distal endpoint, and at least one ablating element and a second elongated segment having a proximal endpoint and a distal endpoint, wherein the second segment lies at least partially within the first segment, and wherein the first segment and second segment are interconnected and slidable relative to each other, wherein the distal endpoint of the second segment extends distally through the distal endpoint of the first segment;

the elongated second segment having at least one tissue contacting surface for contacting the tissue, said elongated second segment having;

an axis that runs lengthwise along the segment;

at least one elongated suction lumen having ports aligned along at least part of the axis of the elongated second segment, said suction lumen applying a suction force to secure the ablation device to the tissue; and

at least one elongated ablating element aligned along at least part of the axis of the elongated second segment.

11. The ablation device of claim 10, further comprising a visualization device coupled with the ablation device for enhancing visualization of an area around the tissue to be ablated.

12. The ablation device of claim 11, wherein the visualization device provides data that is used to assess a location and/or depth of a transmural lesion.