Open-irrigated ablation catheter with proximal insert cooling

An open-irrigated ablation catheter system, comprising:

• a catheter body;
• an electrode tip body mounted on a distal portion of the catheter body, the electrode tip body including a distal end and a swaged proximal end configured for connection to a distal end of the catheter body, the electrode tip body further including a central longitudinal axis and a wall defining an open interior region, the wall including one or more irrigation ports in fluid communication with the open interior region,
• wherein the wall is conductive for delivering radio frequency (RF) energy;
• and
• a proximal insert positioned partially within the catheter body and at least partially within the swaged proximal end of the electrode tip body,
• wherein the proximal insert includes a fluid inlet for receiving a cooling fluid delivered via the catheter body, and an exterior surface along an entire longitudinal length of the proximal insert, and
• wherein the exterior surface of the proximal insert includes annular ribs extending the entire longitudinal length of the proximal insert and forming channels between an interior surface of the proximal end of the electrode tip body and the exterior surface of the proximal insert, the channels being configured to direct the cooling fluid from the fluid inlet to cool the distal portion of the catheter body and to cool a junction of the catheter body and the electrode tip body, the channels being annularly disposed and extending the entire longitudinal length of the proximal insert.