Electrophysiology catheter design
AssigneeMedtronic Ablation Frontiers LLC
InventorsMark T. Stewart, Mark Allen Benscoter, Jon Virgil Evans, Timothy G. Laske, Gonzalo Martinez
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method, device, and system for improved mapping and/or ablation of a tissue. The device may generally include an elongate body and a distal assembly affixed to the elongate body that includes a treatment electrode having a conductive mapping region and a selectively conductive ablation region that is conductive of high-frequency current and substantially non-conductive of low-frequency current. Alternatively, the device may generally include a treatment electrode having a conductive mapping or ablation region and a region that is coated with an electrically insulated but thermally conductive layer.
Claims20
A medical device comprising:
- an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion with a distal tip, and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- an electrode including at least one winding about the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, the at least one winding being located distal to the distal tip, the electrode including at least one selectively conductive region alternating with at least one conductive region.
A medical device comprising:
- an elongate body defining a distal portion including a distal tip, a proximal portion, and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- an electrode affixed to the distal portion of the elongate body, the electrode extending at least 360° around the longitudinal axis and being located distal to the distal tip, the electrode including:
- a circumference;
- a plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of first regions being one of selectively conductive and electrically insulated but thermally conductive;
- a plurality of second regions alternating with the plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of second regions being fully electrically conductive;
- and
- at least one prominent element protruding from the circumference of the electrode, the at least one prominent element being in at least one of the plurality of second regions.
A medical system, the medical system comprising:
- a medical device including:
- an elongate body defining a distal portion including a distal tip, a proximal portion, and a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a hypotube electrode affixed to the distal portion of the elongate body, the hypotube electrode extending at least 360° around the longitudinal axis and being located distal to the distal tip, the hypotube electrode having:
- a circumference;
- a plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of first regions being one of selectively conductive and electrically insulated but thermally conductive;
- and
- a plurality of second regions alternating with the plurality of first regions, each of the plurality of second regions being fully electrically conductive;
- and
- a coolant source in fluid communication with the hypotube electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.