Radio-frequency-based catheter system with improved deflection and steering mechanisms

A method of ablating biological tissue within the body vessel of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing radio-frequency-based catheter for insertion into the body vessel of the patient, the catheter having a proximal portion, a distal portion with a distal end and a lumen extending from the proximal portion to the distal portion;
• inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extending within the catheter and coaxial with the lumen;
• a deflectable catheter guide disposed within the catheter lumen extending proximally within the catheter lumen and terminating distally of the distal end of the catheter to define a biological ablation pathway, the catheter guide including a distal end;
• and a radio-frequency antenna disposed at the distal portion of the catheter in electrical communication with the inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors and being adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue along the ablation pathway;
• b) delivering the catheter guide and the radio-frequency antenna of the catheter to a targeted body tissue ablation site within the body vessel of a patient;
• c) positioning the radio-frequency antenna of the catheter adjacent to the body tissue to be ablated by anchoring the distal end of the catheter guide in the body vessel and deflecting the catheter guide so that the radio-frequency antenna of the catheter is adjacent to the body tissue to be ablated
• d) ablating the body tissue using the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna.

A shapeable curvilinear radio-frequency antenna apparatus for ablating biological tissue within the body vessel of a patient, comprising:

• a) a flexible catheter body including a distal portion and an elongated lumen;
• b) inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extending within the catheter and coaxial with the lumen;
• c) a flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna carried by the distal portion of the flexible catheter body in electrical communication with the inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors and adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue;
• d) a pre-shaped deflection member carried by the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna adaptable to take a pre-shaped memory curvilinear configuration;
• e) a deflection regulating member operatively associated with the pre-shaped deflection member for regulating the deflection of said pre-shaped deflection member, wherein at least one of the pre-shaped deflection member and the deflection regulating member controllable for changing the configuration of the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna between a straight configuration and a pre-shaped memory curvilinear configuration.

A method of ablating biological tissue within the body vessel of a patient, comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a shapeable curvilinear radio-frequency antenna apparatus for ablating biological tissue within the body vessel of a patient, the shapeable curvilinear radio-frequency antenna apparatus including a flexible catheter body having a distal portion and an elongated lumen;
• inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors extending within the catheter and coaxial with the lumen;
• a flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna carried by the distal portion of the flexible catheter body in electrical communication with the inner and outer coaxially aligned conductors and adaptable to receive and transmit radio-frequency energy for ablating biological tissue;
• a pre-shaped deflection member carried by the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna adaptable to take a pre-shaped memory curvilinear configuration;
• a deflection regulating member operatively associated with the pre-shaped deflection member for regulating the deflection of said pre-shaped deflection member;
• b) delivering the shapeable curvilinear radio-frequency antenna apparatus to a targeted body tissue ablation site within the body vessel of a patient;
• c) controlling at least one of the pre-shaped deflection member and the deflection regulating member to change the configuration of the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna from a straight configuration to a pre-shaped memory curvilinear configuration so that the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna is adjacent to the body tissue to be ablated;
• and
• d) ablating the body tissue using the flexible curvilinear radio-frequency antenna.