Enhanced ablation and mapping catheter and method for treating atrial fibrillation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9468494-B2
Application number	US-32305705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 30, 2005
Priority date	Jul 18, 2003
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A catheter for ablating tissue is provided. The catheter comprises an elongated generally-tubular catheter body having proximal and distal ends. An electrode assembly is provided at the distal end of the catheter body. The electrode assembly including a porous electrode arrangement that is generally transverse to the catheter body. The porous electrode arrangement comprises one or more electrodes electrically connected to a suitable energy source and a porous sleeve mounted in surrounding relation to the one or more electrodes and defining an open space between the porous sleeve and the one more electrodes. One or more irrigation openings fluidly connect the open space to a lumen extending through the catheter through which fluid can pass. In use, fluid passes through the lumen in the catheter, through the one or more irrigation openings, into the open space and through the porous sleeve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for ablating heart tissue comprising:
inserting into the heart of a patient the distal end of a catheter comprising:
a non-conductive tubing mounted on the distal end of the catheter, a mid-section of the non-conductive tubing having a pre-formed generally heel-shaped curve comprising a first bend away from a central longitudinal axis of the catheter and a second bend back toward and past the central longitudinal axis of the catheter, wherein the non-conductive tubing terminates in a generally straight distal end that is generally transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the catheter; and
a porous electrode arrangement comprising:
a single, continuous coiled electrode wrapped around at least a portion of the non-conductive tubing, the single, continuous coiled electrode being electrically connectable to a suitable energy source;
a porous sleeve mounted in surrounding relation to the coiled electrode and defining an open space between the porous sleeve and the coiled electrode; and
one or more irrigation openings fluidly connecting the open space to a lumen extending through the catheter through which fluid can pass; and

forming at least one linear lesion in the atrial tissue with the porous electrode arrangement by simultaneously supplying ablation energy to the single, continuous coiled electrode and introducing fluid through the lumen in the catheter, through the one or more irrigation openings, into the open space and through the porous sleeve.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the generally straight distal end of the non-conductive tubing forms an angle with the longitudinal axis of the catheter ranging from about 75° to about 110°.

3. A method for ablating heart tissue comprising:
inserting into the heart of a patient the distal end of a catheter comprising:
a non-conductive tubing mounted on the distal end of the catheter, a mid-section of the non-conductive tubing having a pre-formed generally heel-shaped curve comprising a first bend away from a longitudinal centerline of the catheter and a second bend back toward and past the longitudinal centerline of the catheter, wherein the non-conductive tubing terminates in a generally straight distal end that is generally transverse to the longitudinal centerline of the catheter; and
a porous electrode arrangement comprising:
a single, continuous coiled electrode wrapped around at least a portion of the non-conductive tubing, the single, continuous coiled electrode being electrically connectable to a suitable energy source;
a porous sleeve mounted in surrounding relation to the coiled electrode and defining an open space between the porous sleeve and the coiled electrode; and
one or more irrigation openings fluidly connecting the open space to a lumen extending through the catheter through which fluid can pass; and

forming at least one linear lesion in the atrial tissue with the porous electrode arrangement by simultaneously supplying ablation energy to the single, continuous coiled electrode and introducing fluid through the lumen in the catheter, through the one or more irrigation openings, into the open space and through the porous sleeve.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the generally straight distal end of the non-conductive tubing forms an angle with the longitudinal centerline of the catheter ranging from about 75° to about 110°.

Assignees

• O'Sullivan Martin
• Lee James K
• Hill Irma
• Biosense Webster Inc

Inventors

• O'Sullivan Martin
• Lee James K
• Hill Irma

Classifications

• A61B2018/00351

  Heart · CPC title

• A61B2018/00577

  Ablation · CPC title

• A61B2018/00797

  measured by multiple temperature sensors · CPC title

• A61B2018/1407

  Loop · CPC title

• A61B2017/00243

  cardiac · CPC title