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Cooled conductive balloon RF catheter for renal nerve ablation

  • US 9,463,062 B2
  • Filed: 07/22/2011
  • Issued: 10/11/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:

  • a catheter comprising a flexible shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, a length, and a lumen arrangement extending between the proximal and distal ends, the length of the shaft sufficient to access a renal artery of a patient relative to a percutaneous access location;

    a balloon provided at the distal end of the shaft and fluidly coupled to the lumen arrangement, the distal end of the shaft and the balloon dimensioned for deployment within the renal artery, the balloon comprising;

    a balloon body formed of a hydrophilic polymer that becomes electrically conductive in response to absorption of a conductive liquid, the balloon body comprising a proximal conical section, a distal conical section, and a circumferential section defined between the proximal and distal conical sections and configured to contact a circumferential portion of an inner wall of the renal artery, the circumferential section having a wall thickness less than that of the proximal and distal conical sections sufficient to facilitate preferential perfusion of the conductive liquid through the circumferential section relative to the proximal and distal conical sections; and

    an inlet manifold coupled to the lumen arrangement through which the electrically conductive liquid can pass into the balloon body;

    an electrical conductor extending at least partially along the shaft and terminating proximate or within the balloon body, the electrical conductor coupled to an electrode positioned within the balloon body and configured to conduct electrical energy received from an external energy source to at least the circumferential section of the balloon body sufficient to ablate perivascular renal nerve tissue proximate the circumferential section; and

    a cooling arrangement configured for at least one of receiving a thermal transfer fluid from the lumen arrangement and facilitating perfusion of blood passing through the renal artery to cool the balloon body during ablation of the perivascular renal nerve tissue.

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